davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-04

we were attacked by a submarine dis guised as a fishing vessel he said. "She opened fire on us at five miles, sending 15 shots at us and smashing our wireless. She pursued us for an hour. We did not use our gun. Finally, a British patrol boat appeared. The submarine sub- merged, disguise and all, presenting a ildicrous sight as the carefully prepared equipment stimulating fishing boat sank beneath the waves"
 The captain of an American sailing ship which was sunk 10 days ago said:
 NESTS OF U-BOATS
 Submarines are lying along the sea lanes in regular nests They keep well under water most of the time, coming up now and then for periscopic observations, or on hearing the approach of merchant craft which often can be identified read fly by the sound of the engines. By thus conserving fuel the submarines are able to remain away from their base long time and also they find means of renew ing their stores from ships which they sink
 "The U-boat which sank us had been out for six weeks. She had one British captain on board She renewed all her supplies from our boat and took all the nautical instruments. The submarine gave us a sharp signal to halt with a shell from a distance of two miles. It was good craftsmanship. The shot hit the ship squarely, but caused no casual ties We stopped and took to the boats.
 The submarine came up in leisurely fashion sank the ship with bombs and passed the time of the day with our boats She had crew of 37 and was 25o feet long.
 We were picked up by Norwegian sailing vessel, on which we spent six days She was then attacked by a 120- foot submarine. We all took to the Nor wegian's boats. The submarine comman- der declined to look at the Norwegian captains papers. We had another 24 hours In open boats and then were picked up by British patrol and landed
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-04
Rural Carrier Is Dismissed for Making False Reports

Washington. May 3.-Fred L. White.
 Buckhead. Ga, a rural mail carrier, and president of the Rural Letter Carriers as- sociation has been discharged from the postal service, the postoffice department announced today.
 The department says that White was dismissed because he circulated false statements regarding the readjustment Of rural routes, and when questioned about them, gave answers that the department declares were grossly ipcorrect''
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-04
Argument in Trial of Sheriff BatsOn Begins
 With Turner Leading Off
tcontinued from Page one,

peerless enforcer of the law, may be kept in the mostplucrative office in the state.
 "One remarkable fact is the appearance of all officeholders of Jefferson county at this trial. I don't know whether they have union or just fear the approach of their own fateful day.
 And we find the defense nere with the is the first time I have ever heard of a person being able to put his hands on the grand jury notes of an investigation which brought severe criticism on him. self. I assume it was from MT. Black (solicitor of Jefferson county) that the notes were obtained.
 3SCATHING REPORTS ''The grand jury's reports were scath- ing. He (Batson) ignored them and car- ried on his old system. The recommenda- tions would have cost him money so he wouldn't accept them. The people of Jeff ferson county look to the sheriff not only to detect criminals, but to keep them after they are detected. They want a sheriff who can investigate and know what is going on in his jail. "Overton was killed not as the law said he Should De, put as SnerlII batson said he should be; Malina was killed not legally, but because of the sherff's negli- gence; Lathem, a young man. with only a five-year sentence, is dead; Macena, convicted of one of the most brutal crimes in court annals, Is at large.
 This case and that of Pal M. Daniels are the same. do not believe this court will make fish of Pal M. Daniels and fowl of Batson."
 Under the rule, each side was limited to one hour and one-half. MT. Turner
 used 30 minutes MT. Burr will use one hour and a half Friday and Attorney General Martin will use one hour. The arguments will begin at 930 o'clock and the case vii be taken by the supreme court at noon.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-04
NEWS OF ENSLEY

Miss Jungerman. librarian at the Ensley library. announces the receipt of nums ber of books in Italian which are avail able to those who read the Italia language.
 The woman's Missionary society of tn Shadyside Methodist church will er certain at a silver tea at the home Miss Annie Williams. on Seventeenth street this morning at 10 o'clock. Tn following programme will be given:
 voeol solo. Rev. o. R. Burns; readingI Mrs. Farmer vocal solo. Miss Ethel Smith; reading. little Miss Helen Van Dyke; piano and violin trio. Mrs. G. MI Truss, Miss Annie Williams and Miss Ruby Truss; address. Social Service Mrs. Alice Johnson. At the close of the programme 9 social hour will be held and refreshments served. The women of that community are requested to attend.
 Mrs. c. s. Ramset and children of Gary, Ind. are visiting MT. and Mrs. J. c. Lemont. and other relatives of Ensley.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-04
Stories Of Wonderful Exploits Accomplished
 By U-Boats Related
American Survivors From Various Vessels Sent Down Say Submarines Work in Groups Along Sea Lanes Some Disguised as Fishing
 Smacks and Have Long Range Guns

London May American citizens landed during the past days vessels by German submarines tell remark able of the exploits of the Uboas In three undersea boats appeared simultaneously alongside the ship being submarine cruiser 900 feet long, and the others old fashioned submarines
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-04
M 'ADOO AUTHORIZES BANKS ID ACCEPT BOND SUBSCR|PT|O
Telegrams Sent to Entire List of 27,513 Institu- tions in Country
 Enlisting Aid

Washington, May 3.-Secretary Mo Adoo today telegraphe the entire list of 2T,513 national and state banks and trust companies in the United States authorizing them to receive subscrip- tions for the s2.oooOoO.o .ooo bond offer ing. enlisting their cooperation and requesting them to telegraph rough estimate of the amount of bonds each institution would take for itself and it's patrons
 To all clearing house associations in the country MT. McAdoo sent the fol- lowing telegram:
 COPY OF MESSAGE
 will you kindly extend to the mem
 bers of the clearing house my appf e-
 citation of the tender of services I have
 received from them and beg them to cooperate heartily with the federal reserve bank of your district in secur- ing subscriptions to the s2,o00, 900. DOG pointment of local committees to as- sist the federal reserve bank in its work will be extremely helpful" To the federal reserve banks, upon which will fall the heaviest amount of detail work in connection with the flo- tation of the issue. Mir. McAdoo sent telegrams embodying his messages to
 the other institutions and notifying them that the results of the estimates asked for would be placed at their dis posal.
 The result of the first announce
 ment of the loan has been a deluge of subscriptions aggregating many
 millions Most of these came in by
 wire. Virtually every large city and every state in the union was repre- sented in the hundreds of messa ges. ITALY GIVEN LOAN Negotiations continued today with
 representatives of the nations to which the United States is extending credit. Count Di Cellere. the Italian ambas- sador received the full amount of tho first $100.000.o00 loan made by this government to Italy instead of the in - | stallment of s25.000,00o which had been agreed upon tentatively a few days ago. It is understood that the change was made upon representations that the needs of Italy would be served best | by transfer of the entire amount at once.
 Subscriptions to the second offering of treasury certificates were received during the day by the federal reserve
 banks. Indications are that the secre- tary will issue an announcement shortly as to the size of the second offering and call for the proceeds within a week. possibly few days The $10O,000,0o0 loan to France, an | nounced by MT. McAdoo a few days ago, will be turned over to Ambassa- ! dor Jusserand. in whole or part. with | in a day so.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-04

In another case a. submarine wore an carried a gun which had a range of nearly five miles
 In at least two cases the crews of ves- sels sunk were rescued from open boats by a passing ship only to suffer repeti- ton of the disaster when the ship on which they had taken refuge fell victim to a torpedo.
 A seaman from Pensacola, who was a member of the crew of a Swedish sailing vessel, said
 we were almost within sight of land late in the afternoon when we observed a Norwegian sailing vessel in an encoun- ter with submarine eight miles away. Experimenting that our turn would come next, we prepared lifeboat. 300-foot submarine came up to us in due course and fired three warning shots from it's heavy gun.
 SECOND SHIP SUNK
 We pulled our boat over to the life boat from the Norwegian ship previously sunk and a dozen hours later were picked up by British steamer. We had only brief stay on the British boat, as she was torpedoed the same morning. After few hours in the boats we were found by a British patrol boat and were landed
 A Baltimore seaman from a Danish sailing vessel said: We abandoned our ship in response to three shots from a submarine Thereupon the submarine fired p shots into the hull of the ship, sinking her. We tried to speak with the submarine commander. but he told us he was in a hurry as he had to attend to Norwegian bark which was waiting a short distance off.
 We pulled for the nearest land and all our 25 men got ashore safely, although both lifeboats were badly smashed up in the surf as we were bleaching them"
 A Phiadelphian described the manner in which his steamer escaped being sunk
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-04
cyREyE COMMANDERY

CYRENE COMMANDERY The Sir Knights of Cyrene COm- mandery are requested to meet at the temple today. Friday. at 2 p. m., for the purpose of attending the funeral of Sir Knight R. c. Wynn. Burial at cemetery near Pratt City.
 FRANK s. BARNES,
 Commander.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-04
DENIED DRINKING WITH MEN

One witness Wednesday testified that he saw Sheriff Batson drinking soft drink with one of the condemned Ital- ians in a corridor of the jail but Sher- if Batson denied this. saying he had never drunk with a condemned man. He also testified that his instructions were for no prisoners to be allowed to handle keys of the building although they were permitted to unlock the cells and unlock inner doors. through never to unlock any door which would lead to freedom.
 Sheriff Batson denied Walter Fogg's story about being trusty during the IS months he was under sentence Of death. He said Fogg had been allowed the usual liberties of any prisoner un- til the jury sentenced him to death but he was then locked in a cell and so far as he knew was kept there ur- til moved to the penitentiary to serve a life sentence imposed by the commu- tation of the governor.
 Concerning the statement of Steve Wiggins at the hearing Wednesday that he warned Sheriff Batson on Sat urday before the escape that he feared Overton would give some trouble Sher- : if Batson said Wiggins urged him to make an investigation and that he imm ediate1y did so. finding that all condemned men were securely locked in their proper cells. He then went to the inside warden. Orr. and to his brother. A. B. Batson, and told them to exercise due. diligence in keeping the condemned men in their cells He said he always went into the jail each evening before going to his home and made personal inspection. This custom has been followed since he was inaugurated Many times he returned | to the prison at night and frequently called the jail on the telephone to, see ] if things were going we'll.
 He denied .ae story of s. C. Clements
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-04
BATSON TAKES STAND

Montgomery, May 3.-(Special) )-Thomas J. Batson, sheriff of Jefferson county, had his day in the supreme court Thurs day and when he had exercised his con stitutional right of speaking for himself he had told the court that he did not give permission for condemned men to have the privilege of the jail yard. but in- stead ordered them kept in their cells. that he instructed every warden con stantly to take care that all prisoners. white or black, great or small, influen- tial or of no importance, were protected aud kept incarcerated untl handled by the proper authorities, that Warden w. E. Orr violated instructions when he went into 8 cell to eat breakfast with prisoners the morning of March 20. when David D. Overton and other prisoners ob- tained their liberty and that he had ex- ercised all discretion possible during the time he had been sheriff.
 SAYS LETTER FORGERY
 Sheriff Batson declared without equivo- cation that the letter of recommendation for Walter Fogg, negro. whose sentence was commuted from death to life impris- onment in January. was not signed by himself and that he knew nothing of 1t until it was offered in evidence by the state Wednesday afternoon. This decia- ration seemed to satisfy the state as William L. Martin. attorney general, of( fered to withdraw 1t NO. we want 1t to stay in the record,' answered Attorney Burr.
 sheriff Batson narrated all matters os
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-04

that Overton, Malona and Mecena, all condemned men, carried him to the prison hospital when his leg was broken. but said he himself carried Clements to the surgeon for treat ment. Clements story was contradict ed by Ben Perry, solicitor of the Bes- semer division of the Jefferson circuit court. who said he would not believe him on oath.
 Would you believe him on oath in a case in which he had no personal interest?' asked the attorney general
 T cannot conceive of Clements talk ing the trouble to tell the truth in any case" answered Solicitor Perry.
 The attorney general produced let ter to MT. Perry urging. a parole for Clements. who had been convicted of violating the prohibition laws He ad- mitted that he wrote it. but said it was because he had been assured by Clements counsel and friends that he had been dangerously wounded by rev enue officers and could not do any fur- bar h
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-04

public importance from the time he be- came sheriff until the escape of Over ton and his death at the hands of a posse He declared that he had dis charged several wardens and persons em- ployed about the jail as a result of pre- vious escapes. and that those on duty at the time Overton and partners left the jail had been relieved of their duties. The state and defense went into detail about the various escapes and the story of the arrest of w. A. Gillespie, former warden at the jail, and conviction on a charge of aiding two women to escape was told in detail by the sheriff. Mir, Batson said he notified the warden the night tefore the women escaped that he
 would be relieved but. not knowing that
 he was guilty of any offense involving
 the escape of prisoners, permitted him to
 remain on duty until the next morning.
 That night tlie women escaped and when
 capturel said Warden Gillespie permitted
 them to leave
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-04

South Africa's diamond industry is to be revived.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-04
ADMITTED CRITICISM

Sheriff Batson also admitted that the federal grand jury had criticized the de- partment for permitting certain prisoners to have more authority than other prison CTS and had warned the sheriff against any prisoner having authority over an other prisoner.
 He maintained that several searches of the jail have been made contradictlng testimony Wednesday that only one other search was made before the escape of Overton. He denied that he knew Over ton had a grip in his cell and could not remember that his brother A. B. Bat son, ever told him that Overton had the grip and that he did not Know whether or not he had authority to search it.
 He testified that $1S0 a month which was appropriated by the board of reve- nue was paid to wardens at the jail for scrubbing or other janitor work, but tes- tified that a change had been made whereby the board of revenue makes pay ments direct to those who do the work. He said he believed he got fairly good wardens at $60 month and evaded the attorney generals question about wheth- CT or not he testified before the grand jury that he could not get competent men for S60 a month.
 Sheriff Batson maintained that through out the time prisoners were permitted to have liberties no one was allowed any liberty which would take him into the streets or outside the prison wall Even if prisoner were allowed out of the building proper he would be surrounded by d wall
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-04
DIR. ROssER TEsTIFIEs

Dr. H. N. Rosser. health officer of
 Jefferson county from 1909 until this year,
 testified that during the time he was
 health officer he made regular visits to
 the jail and found the food to be whoie-
 some and sufficient to sustain human life.
 He ordered chaPges in diet many times and Sheriff BatSon always accepted his
 suggestions
 He commended especially the syrup which Sheriff Batson serves to prisoners, saying the person who made it is honest as he could put 10 gallons more water in it and the syrup would still be pure. Dr. Rosser was called to discount the testimony of Dr. William H. Oates for
 iner state prison inspector, who said the food did not have the proper variety and that the Jail never was in proper condition.
 N. T overall, bailiff of the criminal di- vision of the circuit court. who served as warden of the state portion of Sheriff Batson's term, testified that the sheriff s positive instructions were to safeguard all prisoners to keep all cells locked and never to unlock cell at night unless in cease of sickness. He was also instructed to search all packages He denied that
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-04
CROSS-EXAMINATION

On cross examination Sheriff Batson said he instructed his wardens not to use persons charged with serious crimes as cooks and stevedores about the prison and to make an inquiry into the charge against each person who was considered for appointment as cook. He said sev- eral times he ordered persons returned to prison because of the serious charges against them. After the escape of Over ton and other condemned men he had all cooks returned to their cells
 He admitted that former Sheriff Higdun warned him about using felons as cooks and he tried to heed it. Further question ing, however, brought out the fact that after this warning Nails, Cole Addington and Allen. charged with felonies, were used in positions ahollt the iaiI
The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-04
FOLLOWED JAIL PRACTICE

ing office January IS, 1915, he conferred with Walter K. McAdory and k. l.. Hig- don, former sheriffs, and obtained in formation about how best to carry on the business of the office. He was told to use prisoners. as cooks and stevedores about the prison in line with practice which had been used at the jail for many years. After he had concluded his testl- mony. Former Sheriff McAdory testified that he used prisoners as cooks and stevedores and suggested to Sheriff Bat son that he do likewise.
 Sheriff Batson contradicted w. E. Orr former warden, who testified Friday that he was not given any instructions about his specific duties, by saying that R. M Warren, whom Orr succeeded. was with him three or four days and during the time went over the work in detail He said he never knew that Orr left the inside office of the prison without being relieved by another deputy. that in doing so Orr violated his instructions and that Orr never was given permission to eat with prisoners, an act which brought on the escape of Overton and his confederates.
 The sheriff also detailed his instruc- tions about handling condemned men, declaring that he ordered them kept in their cells until a representative of the state prison inspection depart ment said they would have to be given a certain amount of sunshine. He ad- mitted that he took Sam Macena and Tony Malona. condemned men, into the jailyard for exercise few times, but declared that he never saw David D. Overton out of his cell. He also sald he in his instructions told the war dens not to permit any person to See a condemned man unless accompanied by an officer and thought these in structions were being obeyed to the letter.
The Alaska daily empire., 1917-12-18
PAPERS ARE DECREASING

The gradual decline in the number of newspapers in the United States is the subject of the leading Post. Although the comment refers mostly to daily probably almost as great The Post says:
 For twenty years the number of newspapers ana periodcas Tn the United States has been stead ny declining relatively to population In the last decade or so the number of daily newspapers has notably decreased, contemporary reports tbat though the population of the IA largest cities in Mich igan has doubled the number daily papers has fal len from 42 to 23
 No doubt the causes have produced a like effect elsewhere Quite recently consultations of dailies in frstcass cities have attracted attention The nnm Der Of considerable cities with morning paper and an or SUI olgger places with only one morning paper appears to increase. Within our recollection five morning papers have disappeared Chicago though the population of the city has much more than don.
 The cause, of course is the steadily incraasi,o cost or establishing and publishing newspaper The l;t lntes'ieht wmch formerly would have launched a daly paper in Chicago or New York now hardly sui fces for Kalamazoo and operating costs are so high @ ,nat paper must win very substantial support or lose lot of money. -
 War has greatly increased costs by raising the pnce or paper other materials and labor Probably these war costs have been governing motive in some or the recent consultations The new revenue law, when not only increases postal charges enor. mously but provides for a zone svsten, fsiis hoa,
 n . newspaper prohts, and will presumably acceer. ale the movement toward consolidation sectonaIism and elimination
 We should not be surnrised if ,,.o ,a,,. a. III cIy' with anything less than a hundred thou. sanu inhabitants became the exception rather than
 mere IS httle doubt but that the constantly in eieasihg cost Of producing a newspaper is resnonsi. U, D,e TOT tne declining number of papers 2 ma. he unted States is the most enlightened nation sne Iace or the globe that there is far less poi0en,ase oi llteraey among population than in any other country and that our peonie enioy ~ a, m m lpery than any race has known is largely dne they have enjoyed ~ oih WHICH
 pu, .he suryivors will only be those today m pron'-paylns basis. not the papers selling beIou, ing and subscriptions" us'
The Alaska daily empire., 1917-12-18
FEM M FER & RITTER.
 Phone IA.
nances thereunto belonging,

and that 1 will, on the 18th day of December, 1917, at the hour of ten o'clock in the forenoon of said day, at the front door of the United States Court House in Town of Ju- neau, Alaska, offer for sale at public vendue, to highest and best bidder for cash, all of the right, title and interest of John Johnston, alias John Johnson, defendant in the above entitled cause, and which said defendant owned on the 31st day of December, 1912, or thereafter, in and to the said real property above described; said property above de- scribed will be sold in separate par cells and only so much thereof will be sold as is necessary to satisfy the sum of $4,45616, being the amount of the plaintiffs judgment, and the further sum of $.--...-.----., the costs and expenses incurred in said sale. Dated this 18th day of November, 1917.
 J. M. TANNER,
 United States Marshal.
 By J. l.. Manning, Deputy. CHENEY & ZIEGLER,
 Attorneys for Plaintiff.
 First publication, Nov. 13, 1917. Last publication Dec. IS, 1917.