davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05
Mob Storms Jail and Lynches Miner
 For Words Derogatory to President;
 Prays in German at End of the Rope

Collinsvi1lc, H., April 5.--Knee1i with his arms crossed, Robert P. Prager, who was lynched by a mob last night at midnight, for alleged d1sloyal utterances, prayer in German for three minutes before he' was strung up. according to statements today by members of the lynching party.
 Prager was @ coal miner and yes- terday at Maryville, in an address to the miners on socialism, is said to have made remarks derogatory to President Wilson Miners there be- came angry and when they threat ered to do him bodily harm escaped to Collirsville, his home. Some of the uiners followed him, collected crowd, took Prager from his home and led him barefoot through the streets waving an American flag.
 The police, fearing violence, took Prager from the crowd and placed him in the city jail. Later large mob gathered in front of the City hall and demanded the man. Mayor J. H. Siegel counselled calmness but the police force Of four was overpowered and Prager was found hiding in the basement of the hall.
 
 rope beyond the city limits. AS the mob prepared to hang him to the limb of tree he was asked if he had anything to say. His answer was to drop to his knees and, with arms crossed to pray in German for three minutes. Without another word he was pulled into the air. The mob then dispersed.
 The police said Prager, while in their custody, had stated he was a registered enemy alien, that he was born in Germany but that he had taken out his first naturalization pa pers and hoped to become an Ameri- can citizen.
 Collinsville is 12 miles east of St. Louis.
 Before the rope was placed about his neck, Prager wrote the following note in German:
 Carl Henry Prager, Dresden,
 Germany:
 Dear Parents: I must on this,
 the fourth day of April, 1918,
 die. Please pray for me, my
 dear parents. This is my last
 letter and testament. Your dear son and brother, ROBERT PAUL TRACER. Tn Pragers pocket was found a long proclamation" in which he stated his loyalty to the United States and to union labor, and told of his difficulty in entering the miners niOn.
 Tear Further LynChings. Washington, April 5--Until the fed- eral government is given power to
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05
MISLEADING FIRE ALARM
Trouble With Fire Alarm system Leads Bremen to Wrong Locality y TOiay-MinOr Fire.

Trouble with tho fire alarm system today led the frcmen to respond to a box distantly remote from the locality of the fire. At l1:22 an alarm came in and showed up Box 214. which is the New Britain Lumber and Coal Co. yard on Park street. The tiremen left the stations at once, although there was only one round of tho box. When the apparatus reached the scene. peo- pie of the neighborhood were sur- prised. The box had not been opened and the people knew nothing about a fire As Hose Co. No. 5 did not appear Chief Dame drove in that direction and found No. , working on Woodland street The fire, which was on the roof of a house owned by Mary Kenyon, was under control and little damage was done. Box 216, at the corner of Woodland and FairView streets had been pulled. Two strokes of the first round and two full rounds of the alarm were lost in some unknown way. Superintendent Cooley is working to determine the cause of the trouble.
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05

punish persons making disloyal ut terances, department of justice off, cials fear moro iynchings such as that of Robert r. Prager at Collinsville. H., last night. This was the first report reaching here of such extreme violence to a. German although off, cials have feared such occurrences.
 The government has no authority to take action against the lynchers. Officials of the department of justice expressed the hope that state or local authorities would speedily punish the iynchers.
 At the same it was pointed out that until congress passes & pending bill making it an offense to speak or write obviously disloyal criticisms of the United States in the war, the government cannot punish these at- tacks and reduce the danger of mob violence.
 Attorney General Gregory took to the cabinet meeting today a report of the lynching of a German, Rob- ert F. Prager, at ColIinsville, Ills, last night for discussion with Presi- dent Wilson. The government is ex- pected to denounce the mob's laWless act, and express the hope there will not be repetitiCns, elsewhere.
 A brief note of the lynchinG reached the attorney general today from U $. Attorney Charles Parch Further details were asked.
 Officials made plain they deplored the incident, both because of the ef- feet in this country and because 1t is feared reprisals may be made in Ger many on Americans.
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05
LLOYD GEORGE ASKED
 FOR USE OF TROOPS
British Premier Conferred With Baker, Who Later Saw Pcrshing and
 Secured Assent

London. April 5--The recent visit Of Newton D. Baker, the American secretary of war, the Daily Mail says, was a historic one and will leave a lasting impression on Anglo-F|rench- American relations, as it was intended that American regiments should be brigaded with British and French forces.
 Premier Lloyd George. it says, ac- qua1nted Secretary Baker with the sit uatlon and expressed the desire of the British government for employment of the American forces Secretary Baker was much impressed and went to France the next day and saw General Pershing.
 The American chief, adds the paper. in that spirit of sol dierly generosity and sportsrlanship which chara cterized him in his subse- quent pronouncement to General Foch, assented unhesitatingIy.
 To General Pershine belongs the credit for the prompt adoption of the scheme now i'll effect.
 Concluding. the paper says: Tt only remains to be said tho American troops at the disposal of General Foch arc seasoned veterans of the regular United States Army They are troops of the same hardN fibre as the immortal Four Hundred. '
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05
French Line In1

Paris, April 5.-Germal tinued their attacks duril says today's war office sta spite the superiority of effectives, which were SD ly, the Teutons were una their objective which wal from Amiens to Clermont
 The French regiments sistance and counter at tained the line in it's enti | office announced.
 The French conquered part of Epinette wood, vil1ers-SoreI. All Germs dislodge the French were
 The French captured z farm, southeast of Or held it against all assa north the French withdl sitions to the west of { threw back the Germa riere Cour wood west of l eval.
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05
PROBE OF PETROLEUM RATES
\. c. C. Orders General Investigation of Freight Charges-A1so Directs Inventory of Telegraph and Cable Companies.

Washing gton, April 5.-A general investigation of freight rates on pe- troleum products was ordered today by the Interstate Commerce Commis- sion.
 The investigation was decided in view of the wide difference in the amounts and percentages of recent rate increases sought by the railroads. It appeared, said the order, that an equitable adjustment of rates could be effected only by a general invcsti- gation covering the whole situation.
 The commission today ordered an investigation of the physical value of 45 telegraph and cable companies property and of their financial con- dition, similar to the valuation pro- ceedings of railroads under way for several years.
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05
WAITING TO GO ACROSS.
New Britain Boys Are Home From
 Camp Upton on Short Leave.

Several New Britain boys, who have been transferred from Camp Devens to Camp Upton, are home on q short leave of absence preparatory to getting ready to go across for duty in France.
 Among those at home are Private Charles Corrigan of Pleasant street. with the headquarters company of the BOA U. 5. Artillery; Private Fran cis Doherty, with the same com pany; Private William Glover of Har- rison street, with Battery A of that regiment; Private Harry Powell of Battery E, 304 U. $. Artillery.
 Robert Spencer, another New Brit ain soldier, is with this same regi- ment at Camp Upton.
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05
RED CROSS ON THE JOB.
Answers Emergency Demand for Hospital to Accommodate Wounded.

Paris. April 5.-The American Red Cross has just performed another rec ord feat for preparing and shipping to a town behind the French front a tent hospital of 500 beds within 12 hours after receiving request from the French government. It was needed to take care of patients who suffered from fractured limbs and were being removed from a hospital In eastern France menaced by Ger man air raids.
 The American Red Cross Is making arrangements with cooperation of a committee of Parisians to send five thousand children to provincial cen- ter where they will be cared for dur Ing the summer school vacation.
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05
YON BERNSTORFF'S SON
 IS SUED FOR LIBEL
Accused Baron Von Radek of Being Spy for
 England

Amsterdam, April 5.-German so-
 c1al circles are stirred up by the suit
 for libel against Count Gunther yon Bernstorff, son of the former German
 am bassador at Washington by Baron von Walter Radeck, member of an
 old Prussian family, who lived for.
 many years in England. Count Gun ther's wife, who was Mrs. Marguerite Vivian Burton Thomson, of Bur l1ngton, N. J., and several others, in- cluding the wife of one of the gen. erals commanding an army on the western front, also are defendants in the suit.
 Radeck and his wife, according to the .Rehlsche Westfalische Zeitung were divorced in October 1917, and subsequently she married Count von ' Bernstorfr.
 The result was physical encounter between the two men in which Won l Radeck tore the epaulettes from Won 1 Bernstorffs uniform. Thereupon Won | Bernstorff declared that Won Radeck 1 was not capable of giving satisfac-
 tion as @ gentleman, and he charged 1 Won Radeck with spying for England 1 This resulted in Won Radeck leav- 1 ing the army and Won Bernstorf l being punished by a military court ! The baron charges that Won Bern ! storT, with 14 others, caused his di-
 vorce and dismissal from the army 1 by circulating untruthfu1 reports | Count Christian Gunther Won Bern ] storff and Mrs. Thomson were mar 1 ried December s. He is 26 years old l and in 1913 was clerk in the offices l of Speyer & Co.,, New York bankers. He entered the German diplomatic
 service shortly after the outbreak of l the war.
 l The countess is about 30 years old. 1 Her first husband was an American, from whom she was divorced, after l which she married Baron Von Rad eek. She was born in Stroudsburg, | Pa, of English parents, and was
 adopted by F.. J. Thomason of Bur
 lington. N. J. After her first mar riage she met Baron Won Radeck in 1 New York, and they were married
 in London in 1911. Two years later she filed suit for 6 divorce on the ] grounds of cruelty, and the case l dragged until last October. Four
 years ago she fcl! heir to an estate
 of $1o0.000 from her foster mother. Baron Non Radcck was formerly
 an attachc for the German embassy
 in London. His father was general ! in the German army.
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05
BRITISH GIVE GROUND NEA
 AMlENS, UNDER HUN SMA
PRIVATE COTE WOUNDED
 IN FOUL SECTOR RAID

On March 11, when the kaiser's horde attempted it's raid on the American trenches in TouI sector, Private Philip Cote, son of Mrs. Marceline Cote of Maple Hill, was one of the members of Company M. 102nd United States Infantry, to meet the brunt of the at tack. Mrs. Cote Is in receipt of a telegram from Adjutant General Mccain of Washington announcing that Private Cote was "seriously wounded."
 Company M, having at least 42 casualties among it's mem- bers, was badly cut up in the St. Patrick's day attack.
 One of the members Private Ernest G. Anderson of South Manchester, 8 young man about 22 years old, who has relatives in this city, was killed.
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05

Kansas City, April 5.-Confrontod by a loss of about $2,500,000, tho whole district today began 10 take stock of the damage brought by a fire which last night destroyed threG city blocks of buildings and damaged many others. -~.. .-
 Thomas F. Flahive. chief of police, said reports to him indicated that the fire had started in several places at the same time. He said he had no positive information that the fire was Intentionally set. Other reports were that the fire started in a car of bas- kets. No war materials are stored or being made in the district, it is said.
 Buildings occupied by IS business concerns were destroyed. Six ttre- men were injured, none serious, and a boy was run over and killed by 8 fireman's motor car. The old Astor house, famous years ago when the union station was located in the West Bottoms, was one of the buildings destroyed
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05
GIRL KILLS DH|
"Everybos1y Knows w Minnie ButteIworth,
 Police, After Shootin

Holyoke, April 5.--( liott, aged 35, a pha fatally shot today whe to his place of bushes
 Miss Minnie Butterw field, aged 29, a nurse charged with murder. lege she was about i'd when arrested.
 When arraigned Mil told the court of inti with the dead man knows why I did it'll She said she did nou Elliott. She formd Northampton and Spfj
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05
Negro Soldiers Executed for Murder at Houston, Texas MURDERED THEIR GUARD

Manu' and Matthews ConVlcted or
 Court Martial of Stabbing Ralph g/ FoicI1 Behind the Ear-Both Meet N Death Calmly.
 Houston, Tex, April 5.-Privates John F. Mann, and Walter Matthews, colored, were executed at Camp Lo- gan this morning for the murder of Private Ralph Foley, Company G. 105tn infantry.
 The men went to their death calmly and the entire proceedings lasted but few minutes.
 The execution was witnessed by physicians and newspaper men; Lieut. Col Clinin, commanding the military police: his aide: representative or Mai Gen. Bell, Jr. commanding the 33d Division Father J. J. O'Hearn, chaplain of the 108th Infantry, and necessary guards
 The crime for which the death pen- altv was inflicted by court-martial and approved by President Wilson was the murder of Private Foley, who was guarding the negroes while they were enga getl in cleaning up rubbish around the camp. Foley was stabbed in the ear and died two hours later. The negroes fled, but were quickly cap- tured, and their trial began the fol- lowing morning, lasting three days.
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05
Praise for .SIncIiCal

London, April 5.-- American aviators wit army "Who are numeroI brilliant was paid by
 spondent of the Daily N
 American aviation md rendered splendid aid.
 Describing the air il western front, he says| in any army had airsh| in such great concentrd sector as many as 100l in the air at one tiInd machine guns by low fl he adds, has been carr| far beyond anything ii perience.
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05
Germans Strike Near

London, April 5-The morning attacked the near Dernancourt, a feS of Albert Moyonneyille, Somme, according to published by the Even
 The chief points of newspaper says, were Menin, Beaumont-H Han and Moyennevillc. The Germans were heavy losses except at where they made a slie
 There has been no al the Somme so far tod ment says.
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05
Norwalk Man Chased Two Miles.

Norwalk, April 5.-Because of the fact that he is declared to have said "damn the Liberty Bonds they won't be worth thirty cents after the war;
 to hell with them,'' Ernest Boess- mann, an employe of the Norwalk Tire and Rubber Co.,, of this city, was chased for over two miles by a mob of about 200 of his fellow workers end after being caught was made to kiss the American flag and severely beaten In spite of his injuries he is about town today, but the authorities have taken no action in the matter.
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05
DENMAN PLACES BLAME
Declares Engineer of American In- tcrnational Go. Attempted 10 Secure S15.ON0,OOO Fee for Concern.

Washington. April 5--William Den- man, formerly chairman of the ship ping board, testifying today before inc senate commerce committee nlaced the blame for delay in be- ginning construction at the Hog Island Shipyard on II. D. Connick, t1Iginecr for the American Interna- ttonal ShipbuiIding Co.,, who he said, eudeavored to get the board to enter 2 contract by which the corporation would receive a fee of from s12,- 000.O00 to S15, 5,000,000
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05
Tarred and Feathered by Mob.

Chicago, April 5.--Frederick Will helm Gustave Ehlen, a German, of Minneapolis. was turned over to fed eral authorities today for questioning He was tarred and feathered in Flint, Mich, last Tuesday and left there Wednesday. When Ehlen was met hy detectives on arriving here a suit case he was carrying contained clip pings of German raids and photo graphs of German notables.
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05
DISTRIBUTED BANNED BOOK
Deep River Minister Arrested for Cir cuIating 'The Finished Mystery" in Violation of Espionage Act.

Hartford, April 5.-Ion Syme of Deep River was before U. s. Commis- sioner Richard I. Carroll in the U. s. court today charged with violation of the espionage act and was held in s2.000 bonds for is appearance in the federal district court May 2S.
 At his hearing this morning in the federal building Syme, who styled himself an ordained minister, admit ted he had distributed "six or seven" copies of The Finished Mystery" the book published by the International Bible Students society. This book is held by the government to be 8 violation of the espionage act and .ts circulation 8 criminal offense.
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05
NORWAY'S SHIP LOSS HEAVY
Submarines Have Destroyed 74o Of Her Vessels Witb Tonnage of 1, 10l,- sf, and Value of S33O, ,000, 900.

Washington, April o.-NofWaH j shinping losses through German sub' marine ruthlessness and other War operations continue to grow.
 The total value of NorWay's losses since the war began total |45 vessels with a tonnage of l, 1,101,S15 valued at S33O.0O0,000.
 Norwegian seanen to the numpef of 986 have lost their lives in the sin<ings
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05
RECRUIT BAY ST.

Boston, April 5.-Pl; ing Polish immigrants setts after the visit he the official Polish miS nounced today by Le charge of recruiting here. He estimated tH 900 Poles in the stat, were adult males, and sire to enlist as many der the white eagle of | Appeals for recruits VI meetings in honor of morrow and Sunday. mission tomorrow will Governor Mccall on stand during the parade.
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05

Hartford. April 5.-Governor Hol- comb today received a call from the war department for 4So men, 23O to report at the Parker school, Boston, and 250 to report at the Wentworth Institute, in that city. The selection is on the basis of two and 52 hun- dredths per cent. of the first quota Only white men physically qualified for general military service who have studied to the eighth grade grammar school are to be sent. The men are to receive two months course in training in army positions requiring knowledge Of automobile driving, blacksmithing. carpentering, gum smithing sheet metal work and other mechanical duties incident to various kinds of military service at the front and behind the lines. The call IS for volunteers, who have been registered ans Js open until April l2. After that day no volunteers will be ac- cepted and the quota will be filled by draft process,
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05
KAISER APOLOGIZE

London, April 5.-] Telegraph correspond} dam reports the Gern
 as announcing Ernper| sent a personal letteI confederation apologiz] ing of the counselor \ gation during the bd Good Eridax Z
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05
LENROOT WILSON SUPPORTER
Senator Elect From Wisconsin De- cIares He Will Back President As He Did in Lower House.

Milwaukee, April 5.-United States Senator-elect Irvine Lenroot declared today that he would support Presl- dent Wilson in the senate as he did in the house in all measures helpful in the prosecution of the war. The combined loyalty vote demonstrates beyond all question the loyalty of Wisconsin, he declared. .r.
 He will make two Liberty Bond speeches and return to Washington Eext week.
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05
Germans Strike Again With Heavy Between Luce and Somme Rivers, Bu Line Back at Few ts---Enemy Un Dislodge French During Night.
RECKLESS SPENDING OF DETECTIVES,
 IS WAY PARIS DESCRIBES /

London, April 6.'The British have been pressed back positions of Vlerf neux,
 bodies against Il lines h. repeated For mo pal 'Our artillery hghd
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05
WHISTLES WILL BLOW.
Announcement of Opening of Bond
 sale TOnnOrTOw.

Shortly after 12 o'clock tomorrow noon the sale of the third issue of Lih- erty Bonds will he opened in this city. At the meeting of the general commit tee last evening it was voted to have the manufacturing plants of the city have their factory whistles blown at 12:O5 to mark the opening of the cam- paign. The manufacturers have signi- fled their willingness to do as re- Quested
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05
CUNARD LINER SUNK
Steamship Valeria of 5,s5S Tons Gross, SeIft to Bottom oi irish Sea, Insurance Companies Learn.

New York, April 5.--The Cunard line steamer Valeria, a vessel of 1856 tons gross register, has been Sunk in the Irish sea, according to word received here by insurance in terests. She left here March with cargo for Q British port
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05
FIRE BUGS" SUSPECTED
Loss By Flames at Rochester Near
 $1O0, 0,0oO-Inccndiali Suspected in $2, 800, ,0O0 Fire at Kansas City.

Rochester, April 5.-Fire of sup posed incendiary origin early today destroyed the five buildings of the w.. H. Osborne Co.,, canning plant at Honeoye Falls, 20 miles from here, involving loss of $100,000.
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05
SOLD DIAMONDS TO ENEMY.

Paris, April 5.-Eighteen dealers in diamonds are under arrest on charge of trading with the enemy through Swiss agents.
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05
ORDER FOR SECOND DRAFT
Governors of States to Receive In- structtons For Mobilization Soon Holcomb Receives Another Call.

Washington, April 5.-Orders for the mobilization for the large number of men of the second draft will go out to the governors of the states very soon. Fifteen thousand men of the second draft are now mobilizing.
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05
WEATHER.

Hartford, April o.-sorecast for New Britain and vicinity: Fair tonight: Saturday, fair, warmer.
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05
BELIEVE PEACE TALK
 IS WELL UNDER WAY
Parliamentary Circles in Austria Convinced Debate
 Is in Progress

Zurich, April 5.-Austrian parlia- mentary circles believe negotiations have been opened between President Wilson and Count Czernin. A tele- gram from Vienna to the Neueste Nachrichten of Munich says:
 Count Czernin's speech has creat- ed a profound impression in Austrian parliamentary circles, where, it is be- lieVed. communications have been opened between Count Czernin and President Wilson which already have reached further than the counts statement shows.'
 London, April 5.-The Neue Erie Presse of Vienna, taking a hand in the peace offensive of the Central Powers reverses the Clemenceau story told by Count Czernin. Before the western front offensive, it says, President Wilson and Premier Lloyd George favored discussing peace terms, but Premier Clemenceau ve- toed the suggestion and caused them to adopt his standpoint of war to the end. The papers adds: Tt is i'm possible to confirm this report abso- lutely but there is considera ble truth in it."
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05

Tear Further Lynchings.
 Washington, April 5-Until the fed eral government is given power to
New Britain herald., 1918-04-05

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