The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1917-02-23
Interesting Chats
From Hotel Lobbies

4 DeueNe tndI Germany counted Il eredl
deal on internal disturbances in this
country when she cut loose from civiliza-
ton said former State Senator Robert
NJ. McKelway of Boise City. Idaho. who
is stopping at the Raleigh. There Is not
the slightest doubt in my mind that the
Kalser's agents have lost no time In ac-
quainting themselves intimately with af-
fairs likely to aid On being a drawback
to America in case OF war.
They know we cannot haul ammuni-
ton i'm great quantities and still take
care of our food shipments, and 1t is
natural to assume that Germany will do
all she can to help along the food short
age, provided 1t will require the whole at
tention of the government, and interfere
with the prosecution of a military cam
paign.
IF we look close enough we will see
the hand Of the Kaiser ir the recent food
riots, these riots being in one sense OF
the word natural occurrence in view of
the real food shortage. but matters are
exaggerated and magnified by pro-Ger-
man reports.
Just what the Germans mean by the
word friendship for America remains
to be seen. But we have had some fine
samples OF German friendship, and l
believe we know exactly what IL amounts
to. The moment hostilities start Germany
will put in some very effective licks here.
and we are going to feel the iron heel OF
Prussianism for a little while, also the
Prussians in this country are going to
get a dose of American medicine that
they will not forget in a long time.
German agents are ready to seize upon
every opportunity and upon every man
like Bryan and some others, to be the
tools of the dirtiest propaganda ever
started in any country. 1t is cinch
the Germans know to the ounce just how
much T-N-T.it will take to blow up every
public structure in the country.
Frank E. Powell, of Baton Rouge, La,
tells a story that would put the average
police detective to blushing. Accord
ing to Mr.. Powell. who is stopping at
the Willard, a woman uncovered a mys-
terry that for long time baffed the
sharpest sleuths in Russia.
"A few years ago." said Mr.. Powell,
81 was travelling in Russia, and after
had had several misunderstandings with
Russian police, 1 finally made friends
with several, and one of them told me
this story; it is knosn to be the truth.
Two Nihilists were arrested and con-
fined in the Fortress of Saints Peter and
Paul, awaiting trial, each in separate
cell After one of them found out he
was " ldCc Il Sduoh AAC ih1NS ~
his mind to escape and do II quick. And
he did, by killing an attendant who came
to bring him his bread and water The
dead man had been stabbed to the heart
No weapon could be found, the prisoner
could not have possibly gotten hold of an
instrument to do the trick. This fact
has been confirmed a number of times.
THE wife Of one OF the prison officials
finally got busy to save her husbands
scalp. went after the mystery, and solved
it. Now for the mystery. She proved
without asdoubt that the prisoner reach
ed outside on the window sill of his cell.
broke or a nice long icicle. which was
frozen as hard as any icicle was ever
frozen. He got long. sharp, pointed
one and plunged It into the heart of the
attendant made his way out of prison
in the attendants clothes, without leav-
ing a trace OF his crime, as the icicle had
melted by being in contact with the muir
dered mans body, therefore creating the
mystery.
How many men would have been sharp
enough to have thought of such a method.
l say the women are sharper, and here
is proof
c. w. Scovel, a Pittsburgh insurance
man, was at the Willard yesterday for a
days stay. Mr.. Scovel Is, brother of
Sylvester Scovel. the famous war CORE
spondent during the Cuban war. and he
is now lecturer on insurance at the UNI
versity of Pittsburgh.
Il have made the amazing discovery,
during my investigations into insurance
conditions in Germany" said Mr. Scovel,
that the death rate in Germany. of the
people still in domestic pursuits, has been
so reduced that It evens up the death
losses in the army. until the entire death
rate of the empire is scarcely more than
in times OF peace. The people, by eating
less. by more exercise. by giving up dissi-
Tations and the like, are far more healthy
than ever before, and the death rate has
been lowered enormously. Because of
this, the German life insurance compa-
MES have not been hard hit by the great
losses of men"
Mr.. and Mrs. Ernest Thompson-Seton
of New York, arrived at the Willard yes
terday.