Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-31
ZEPPELIN RAIDS
PARIS AGAIN AND
ESCAPES SAFELY
Thirty-one Killed an d
Twenty-nine Wounded
in First Attack
BOMBS MISSED TRAIN
PARIS. Jan. 81

The Zeppelin which flew over Paris last
night was pursued -. French aeroplanes
until early today, but it succeeded in MAX
ing its escape.
Although bombs were dropped from the
/ Zeppelin it was officially announced today
that no damage had been done.
It is learned that 81 men, women and
children were killed in Saturday nights
Zeppelin raid and 20 were wounded.
Three more deaths occurred today, bring.
ing the total death list up to 3l.
The following official statement was
given out through the Government Press
Bureau about the second raid:
"a Zeppelin flew in the direction Of
Paris from the German lines last night.
Ii arrived over the city about II o'clock,
where 1t was sheled by our special bat
teries and attacked by aeroplancs, 1t
threw bombs before relying northward,
but latest reports show that no damage
was done"
That the loss OF life in Saturdays raid
did not run into an enormous total is
miraculous one of the projeCties thrown
from the dirgible wrecked part of the
subway Immediately after a crowded
train passed. If the train had been struck
hundreds would doubtless have been
killed
President poincare, who visited the
stricken district and spent three hours
giving such comfort as he could to the
families Of victims, was deeply touched
by the scenes Of dcsolation. He gave
a large personal gift for the relief of the
sufferers.
The Zeppelin was about 1900 feet above
the city when the bombs were thrown,
and the fire of the high.angle guns was
made less effective by fog which obscured
the targets
Between 20 and 30 aeroplanes OF the
biggest and swftest types went aloft to
give battle to the invaders, but only five
succeeded in getting close enough to
fire upon the big balloon
The bombs that were dropped from the
Zeppelin were charged with an explosive
of terrific power. Big buildings were
smashed as though made Of tootnpicks
and holes 20 feet deep were torn into the
ground.
ESCAPES UNDAMAGED
The attack centred upon the fringe Of
the most populous of the City's Industrial
belt. After it was over the Zeppelin
moved northward at top speed flying in
the direction of Laon. BY the rays Of the
searchiEhts the pursuing acroplanes could
be seen darting through the sky with the
speed of swallows. However, the raider
got away undamaged.
In addition to the buildings that were
virtually turned into piles of debris prac-
tically every structure suffered the loss of
its windows, for the concussion from the
explosion of the bombs was terrific.
Fire followed the attack, but it was
controlled by the firemen before t could !
spread to any great extent. Afterwards |
the firemen worked with the police and |
soldiers in searching the ruins for dead. |
Some of the corpscs were so badly man |
gled that identification was impossible.
There was more than one death from !
shock. The chief operator at branch |
Of the telephone exchange in a part of
the city not touched by bombs died from
fright
George Haut, a bedridden invalid. was
taken to the hospital. where it was found |
he bore no wounds. However, he died !
within two hours.
\ family named Frichte lived on the top !
floor of the Inflated tenement in which !
10 persons were killed. \ member of this |
family, who was a private in the French |
Iouaves, had just returned from the |
front on a furlough, and he and his rela- |
tves were celebrating. In the midst of |
the celebration bomb crashed through !
the roof, killing two women, two men |
and a girl one of the men killed was |
the Zouave.
OF those killed IL were women, II were |
men and four were children. Two more |
men died from shock making total Of "a, |
OF the wounded II were women, were !
men and four were children.
The municiual council has decided to !
bury all the victims at the expense of the |
city and to accord them full military
honors
The Zeppelin came from the German
battle front north of the Aisne. News of
It's approach first was sGnaled at 0:2O F.
D clock Saturday night. At that time it |
was flying over La Ferte Milon 80 miles |
away. Almost on the stroke of 10 the |
first violent explosion rang out and the
word was flashed Immediately that the
attack had begun.
Afterwards il was charged that the
city officials had acted ineficently wait
ing too long to sound the alarm to the
people
When the pursuit began one French
leroplane continued the chase for 20 min
ltes. the aviator pumping lead from
rapid fire gun until all his ammunition
was exhausted.
In order to confuse the Germans to
he actual locality damaged the censor
refused to allow the publication of the
names of streets upon which the damaged
houses stand.
Every paper in this city Is clamoring |
or series of devastating air raids over
ierman territory in reprisal 1t is as.
iumed that the German raid over Paris
vas in answer 10 the attack upon Frei.
'urg by French aircraft.
The Zeppelin scare last night lasted an
lour and half and II was nearly mid.
light before bugles were sounded through.
nut the city as a token that the hostile
isitor had fled. Hundreds Of thousands
# persons sought safety in cellars, some
lot Venturng out until dawn