davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-02-11
COMMISSION ON
CARS TAKEN OVER
Director General McAdoo Gre
ates New Section of Rail-
: road Administration.

Washington, Feb. 11.-Direetor. Gen.
eral MeAdoo today took over the com.
mission on car service Of the Amsri-
can Railway association and created
a car service section Of the railroad
administrators division Of transpor.
tation. w. c. Kendall was made man
aasr.
At the same time the director. gen.
eral appointed an interregionaI traffic
committee to study diverting traffic
from the more seriously oongsstsd
sateways to the more open ports.
The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-02-11
LONDON HAS NO DETAILS
OF GERMAN ULTIMATUM

London, Feb. 11.-No details in re-
gard to the German ultimatum to Ru-
mania have been received here, al
though the Rumanian quarter in Lon
don continues in communication with
Jassy, where the Rumanian royal fam
lily still is. The ultimatum is believed
to have contained a veiled threat of
an offensive.
News also is lacking concerning de-
velopments in the, situation since the
expiration Saturday of the ultimatum.
The resignation Of the Rumanian cab
met was dueato a difference of opin-
ion between the conservative and lib
eral branches. The king decided upon
the formation of a nonpartisan gov
ernment under the leadership of Gen.
Avresco. former minister of war and
lately commander of the Rumanian
forces in Dobrudja.
The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-02-11
CLAIMS JOHN 7. ADAMS
REPUBLICAN CHAIRMAN

st. Louis, Feb. 11.-Members of the
republican national committee. which
will meet here tomorrow. continued to
arrive today. A. t. Hert national
committeeman from Kentucky, said
that he had mingled among the COM
mitteemen here and found the senti-
ment growing for w. II. Hays. of In
diana. for national chairman. An au-
thoritative statement issued on be-
half of John T. Adams claimed thirty
four votes for the Iowan for national
chairman out of a total Of forty eight
meeting.
The executive committee today took
up the contest from Tennessee be-
tween Jess NJ. Littlton and Jams j.
Gore.
The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-02-11
ALBANIAN TO ASSIST
SECRETARY OF LABOR

Washington, Feb. 11.-Former Rep
resentative John W. Abercrombie, of
Alabama, whom the president has
nominated to be solicitor of the de-
partment of labor, has arrived here
and was at the capitol today. He will
be designated as acting secretary in
absences of Secretary Wilson and will
be his assistant in direct supervisory
charge especially of all immigration
matters appealed from the action of
the immigration bureaus
The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-02-11
FAIR. SAYS BILLY 'P0SSUM

No more you
hear the brisk
tattoo of shine
boys Furnishing
your shoe. The
boys have struck;
Oft times I've
heard their merry
tune and thought
I'd have a shine
quite soon, but
d | S appoin :
ment was my
= - - - - - n
The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-02-11
NASHVILLE HAS
$4,000 FIRE

Nashytlls. Feb. xplosion oc-
curred In the chemical rooms Of. the
Impgo Medicine company at Sixth
avenue and Union street today.
startled the neighborhood for blocks
and started fire, which did, damage
estimated at $4,000. Spontaneous
the explosion.
The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-02-11

bolshevik as long as she could make
peace with the Ukraine and secure
the opening of the frontiers to the
rich grain growing provinces con-
trolled even nominally. by the Ukrain-
ians.
The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-02-11
Ignoring the 6oIsheviki
WASHINGTON INCLINED
TO DOUBT REPORT

Washington, Feb. 1.-THE
government here has no knowl-
edge of the report that France
and Great Britain have recog-
- ognized the Ukraine republic
and sent diplomatic represen-
tatives. The United States. as
a co-belligerent, has not been
consulted and officials are in
clined to doubt the report.
The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-02-11

drummed quite nicely on the toe, but
where the heels and sides would go the
mud had stuck. The weather? Fair
md warmer tonight; Tuesday fair and
warm.
The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-02-11
GOVERNMENT VESSEL
TOWING DISABLED SHIP

An Atlantic Port, Feb. ia gov
eminent vessel reported by radio to-
day that she was proceeding to port
with steamship picked up far out
at sea, after being disabled by pro-
peller trouble.
The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-02-11
RUSSIA QUITS WAR;
DISBANDS ARMY
Bolshevik Government Declares at End State of War
With Germany, Austria Hungary, Turkey
and Bulgaria

Amsterdam Feb 11-Russa has of war to
be at end and has ordered the rehabilitation
all fronts according to dispatch received today
Brest-Litovsk Sunday.
The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-02-11

Continued on Page Eighty
The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1918-02-11

Continued on Page g..
The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1918-06-06

be no probability of my meeting him.
Approaching the emptied tank. / care
fully shoveled the snow from arouno
the salt water faucet and, when | got
down to the muddy ground, | found
very distinct traces of No boot
The boots had been very recently hall
soled. and the shoemaker who had
made the repairs had placed three
nails in row across the center OF
the half sole as his trade mark and
sign manual
Returning to OH City / made dill
gent inquiries among the shoemakers
OF the town There was not a large
number of men who did repair work
of the rough and ready type which
was required by the men employed in
the oil leases ana after a short in
vestlgation the man who had soled the
shoes was discovered. He at once
remembered having repaired a pair OF
shoes for Henry Book couple OF
days before the oil tank had been
emptied.
1t developed then that both the
VI OiutlS Mtlb III me ldtys thS
one having written the letters and the
other having acted upon the threat
contained in them. Undoubtedly
George Book had been more or less
a tool in his brothers hands, for with
a wife and a good position he had no
reason to feel a grudge against his
employer ON account of the superin-
tendent.
/ at once procured a warrant for
the arrest of the Book brothers, and
that night returned to the Ackert
tease. this was a sleigh and accom-
panied by two officers Arriving about
II O'Clock | found George Book in
the pumping house on duty, as he
had been the night before, and at
once arrested him then proceeded
to Georges house. where | found his
brother Henry In bed and arrested
him also After this the house, which
was a one story building with an
attic was thoroughly searched, and
wagon loads of loot we're found, all OF
it taken from the Ackert and adjacent
leases This was afterward Identified
by the owners as having disappeared
from time to time.
After a preliminary hearing the
Book brothers were committed to the
county Jail in default of bail.
Henry Book soon confessed to the
emptying Of the oil tank and George
to the writing of the anonymous let
ters. There seemed no doubt of their
conviction, However about a week
! before the trial was to have begun
there was a jai! delivery from the
county jail at Franklin, Pa, fifteen
or more prisoners making their
escape, among them being the Book
brothers. They boarded a northbound
| freight train on the A. & G. w. rail.
road, now known as the Erie. When
at point about twenty miles north
of Franklin this freight train collided
with another train and ip the wreck
Henry Book was killed instantly,
while George was so badly hurt that
he died the following day.
This was the ending of the Book
case, which occupied in all only six
days Of my time.
The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1918-06-06

left Oil City, passing unrecognlzed
through the streets by reason of my
costume, and walked through the dark
ness and bitter cold to the pumping
house on the Ackert property, where l
arrived few minutes after nine in
the evening.
Inside the pumping house George
Book was seated alone in large easy
chair, close to the boiler, which was
fired and we'll lighted with natural
gas, and was kept warm and neat.
He was reading novel when l en-
tered.
The engine house was located only
few feet off the main road that ran
between Oil City and the neighboring
town Of Plummer, and it was not an
unusual thing for oil men, or any other
men for the matter of that, to stop
at the door while passing, to get a
drink or to warm themselves, espe-
cially on a February night with zero
temperature. Book, looking up from
his book, was consequently not in the
least surprised to see another of his
fraternity-as he imagined me to be
standing at the door at that hour
in the evening.
Would you mind my standing by
your boiler to get warmed?" l asked,
mot a Bit" responded George
Book tits mighty cold outside, and
I'll be glad of your company Where
do you work." he continued. cycling
me closely, and little suspiciously
at first
Il have been working on the Foster
farm" l replied. naming property
which was situated on the Allegheny
river, about fifteen miles southwest of
Oil City.
How did you get hurt?" asked
Took Immediately afterward, observ-
ing the bandaged hand, which l had
slipped into the sling just before en-
.tering the pumping house.
l muttered something inaudibly and
stood nearer to the boiler. After a
period of silence l said in a slow
manner as man uses who is about
to reveal a confidence:
You have been mighty kind In al
lowing me to get warm in front of
your boiler, and you look to me like
you would not get fellow into
trouble by giving him away, so | will
tell you all about it. You see,"
continued, 81 am a driller, and l was
working under a superintendent. We
had some trouble over a girl, and
he had a gun. He shot me through
the hand"
With that I pulled my hand out of
the sling and showed him the band
age, to which the liver, adhering, had
given hideously stained appearance,
while the liver itself looked like a
chunk Of raw and quivering flesh.
Gracious! You've got an awful
hand there" said George Book, look
ing at the liver and the bandage and
shuddering. you ought to have 1t
attended to at once"
I'm going to have 1t attended to
when l reach Petroleum Center"
answered. Il don't want to stop on
the way, either, because of the other
fellow. / shot him, but | don't know
whether he is dead or not; In fact,
didn't wait to see. left Immediately
he dropped, and have walked the en-
tire distance, only stopping long
enough to get cup of coffee at the
eating house in the Oil City depot"
Books sympathy was now fully
aroused, for he was really a good
hearted fellow. You must be awful
hungry" he said
The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1918-06-06
w. Historical ss.i..g

He begged me to use all possible ef
forts to discover who the person was
and to bring him to justice. He then
told of having received the anonymous
letters, which he laid before me. / at
once perceived that they were all writ
ten upon the same brand of paper, In
a legible and penmanlike manner, and
evidently by the same hand and pen.
BY the end of the third day of my
Investigations, had hit upon a clue.
Joseph Sullivan, the superintendent,
had employed two engineers whose
names were George and Henry Book.
George was young man, married,
and living in cottage on the leased
property, near the we'll. Henry, his
brother, was single, and lived with
George and his wife. They were both
employed on the same we'll as pump.
ers. George, who was employed on
the day watch, was considered a very
good engineer and reliable man,
while his younger brother, Henry,
though known to be competent and en-
ergetic, was not nearly so reliable.
He had been found asleep while on
duty by Superintendent Sullivan on
various occasions, for which he was
several times reprimanded, and finally
discharged from the service. 1t was
subsequent to his discharge that Mr..
Ackert had received the first of the
anonymous letters.
In addition to the attempt to destroy
property or, at any rate, to the drain
ing off of Mr.. Ackert's tank, there had
been the theft of oil well tools and
other material on the Ackert and ad-
jacent leases. This corroborated the
supposition that the perpetrator of
these acts was familiar with that por-
ton Of the oil territory In fact, every
thing pointed to Henry Book as tho
guilty man.
Being familiar with the manner in
which oil leases were operated, l
donned the suit of an oil driller, con-
sisting of overalls spattered over with
sand pumpings, which gives the wear
err the general appearance of a bill
poster. Thus equipped, set forth
on a cold night in February, the Their
mometer at the time standing below
zero. My objective was the pumping
house of we'll where / knew George
Book would be on duty until midnight,
when he would retire, to be succeeded
by the man who had taken the posi-
Henry.
Before making my way from OIL
City to the Ackert property, | visited
a meat market in the town, where
asked for five cents worth of liver.
There's a pet cat that seems to
have adopted me-, l explained to the
meat market owner. "She stays round
my place and cries for food regularly
at meal times, and so l guess it's up
to me to see that she gets it,
Having planked down my nickel, /
received the chunk of liver which
the proprietor cut off and wrapped up
in piece of paper. l took it around
the corner, where l made further in
roads into it with my jackknife. A
small slice l placed in the hollow Of
my right hand. l then cut a thin
piece and spread it on the back of the
same hand, which l afterward tightly
bandaged with piece of white mus
lin. The liver soiled the tightly
drawn bandage, which gave the ap-
pearance of a wound extremely in
famed and sore. l then tied two hand
kerchiefs together and improvised q
sling in which l could put my right
The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1918-06-06

The ruse which I am about to de-
scribe was perpetrated by me at the
time when / was chief of police of OIL
City, Pa, and resulted in the appre-
hension of an anonymous letter-writer.
The case was more serious than that,
however, for the property of number
of men, valued at several hundred
thousand dollars, and the lives of an
entire city as well. were imperiled.
One cold winter morning in the
month of February l received visit
from a gentleman named Sam Ackert.
Mr. Ackert was well known in the dis
trict. being the owner of a large oil
lease, on the Towles farm, as it was
called, situated upon the Plummer
road, to the northeast of Oil City, and
in Venango county.
Mr.. Ackert was considered to be at
that time one of the largest oil oper-
ators in the district. He was operat-
ing from twelve to fifteen oil wells, all
of which we're producing large guam
titles of oil. Some of it was being
pumped while others we're flowing
wells One of the latter kind was
producing as much as four hundred
barrels a day, and at that time crude
oil was selling at the well for about
eight dollars a barrel.
Ackert employed a large number of
men to attend to the wells and to look
after his general interests. Some Of
these men were employed as en-
gineers, being generally known in the
oil regions as bumpers, To operate
each well two of these bumpers were
required, each man working for IL
hours at a stretch. Their work was
divided into watches, and men who
were so employed usually lived IN
houses or shanties adjacent to the
wells at which they were employed.
The cause Of Mr.. Ackert's visit to
me was that some months previously
he had received a threatening letter
in his mail. 1t stated that unless he
would discharge his superintendent,
man named Joseph Sullivan, and thor
oughly competent and trustworthy,
the property would be destroyed by
fire or by other methods Mr.. Ackert
paid no attention to this letter, which
was followed in the course of time by
three others of the same threatening
character, each one being anonymous,
and each demanding the discharge Of
the superintendent, Sullivan. The
three letters followed each other at
intervals of four or five days. AS Sui
livan was not only a competent man
but thoroughly reliable and of good
character as well, Mr.. Ackert paid no
attention to these letters, but laid
them aside in his desk.
A short time after the receipt of the
last anonymous letter one of Mr.. Ack-
ert's oil tanks, containing at the time
from four to five hundred barrels of
The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1918-06-06

crude oil, was emptied one night, at
a time between midnight and daylight,
by some person who had gone to the
tank and opening what was known as
the lower faucet. This faucet which
was two inches in diameter, entered
the tank at point about six inches
above the bottom. 1t was placed
there for the purpose of drawing off
the salt water at the bottom of the oil
All oil wells in that locality which did
not flow but were operated by pump
ing produced a certain percentage OF
salt water, which came up with the
oil out of the ground. Salt water be-
ing heavier than oil, it Immediately
settled to the bottom of the tank, and
for this reason, when the tank had
become nearly filled with the mixture,
it was the duty of the men employed
as bumpers to open the salt water
faucet at the bottom of the tank and
let the salt water escape through it.
the oil thus settling down and making
room for fresh influx above.
On the night when this tank was
emptied in the manner described
there was about three feet of snow
on the ground. The weather was cold
and the snow had been heaped up
around the tank by the wind, SO that
it was piled about four feet above the
salt water faucet at the bottom. The
constant drawing off Of the salt water
had thoroughly saturated the ground
for a space of two or three square
feet under the faucet, and the ground
was soft and muddy, since the satu-
rated earth would not freeze on &C
count of the large quantities of salt
which had intermingled with the dirt
Salt and snow form muddy slush
which does not harden.
When the faucet was opened the salt
water ran out, followed by the total
contents of oil within the tank,
amounting, as has been stated, to four
or five hundred barrels. This oil,
which was highly infammable, even
in it's crude state, ran down into
ravine, which was thickly dotted with
oil wells, partly belonging to Mr.. Ack-
ert and partly to other producers, for
the distance of more than mile. Had
this stream, in the course of its jour
ney, reached any Of the fires that
were under the boilers of the pump
ing stations, it would instantly have
been converted into a fiery river, car
rying destruction all along the milo
of its course, destroying hundreds OF
thousands of dollars worth of property,
and probably sacrificing many lives.
Mr.. Ackert called upon me on the
morning after this occurrence.
Il have not the slightest idea who
was dastardly enough to commit this
malicious act" he said. 81 am not
aware that l have an enemy on
earth.'
The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1918-06-06

Slas fed before his irate wife, and
seeking the first shelter that presented
Itself, crept under the bed, from whence
after short time, he peered cautiously
out
Seeing his wife standing near by,
with an uplifted broom, he shouted:
"Mirandy, l think it's about time
somebody was boss In this house,
Christian Herald.
The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1918-06-06
.SltN5E&SEEk,<SSS2zz {siSSSN slSE
JOB PRINTING J
done on time and at right prices 4
at the y
RECORD" OFFICE &
z
iIzSIZzstIne,lllasz1\giA ;,ZHigngiyAniEIes
The
War Garden
BY GEORGE ELMER COBB
Copyright, 1918. Western Newspaper Unlon)


1t was, indeed a "war" garden and
near to becoming a sanguinary battle
field. A vacant lot twenty by one hun
dred feet was the scene of acrimony,
contention and pickering John Ford,
average business man, had arrived to
look over the prospect William Ashe,
who lived down the block and whom
he knew only by sight, appeared as
the first-comer was measuring off the
lot space with tapeline. Ashe shifted
susplCously
"What you think you're up to?" he
queried casually.
Planning out a war garden. There's
just space enough to get in potatoes
for the winter and"
"You don't mean to say you are
pre-empting this special lotw inter
rupted Ashe sharply.
"oh, hardly that; Mr.. Richardson.
who owns the lot, has given me per-
mission to use it for the season."
"Why, that's queer Mrs. Richard
son, before the family went South dis
tinctly told me to utilize 1t for a gar
den. What's more, I'm going to do It,"
you won't while I'm around to pro-
tect my rights" declared Ford, flush
ing up.
Then both spoke some bitter words,
neither backed down sufficiently to
share the space and each went home
with an enemy for life on his list.
Now neither knew that pretty Nellie
Ford, when she went to the public IL
brary to spend an hour or two in Its
reading room, had met clever, i'm
pressible Warren Ashe more than
once. The latter was just ready to
plan for an introduction to papa and
mamma when the storm broke OF
course he heard all about it at his
home, just as Nellie did at her own.
The next day the twain met in pub
lie park, deploring the bitter feud that
bade fair to wreck their plans and
hopes.
"And I was just thinking how happy
| would be sitting on your porch eve
nings with your folks" mourned
Warren.
you IRE thinking of some way out2"
she propounded
81 am-hard," replied Warren, with
win, "ytu Won moot mo horo ton,nr.
,n,,, ," md NaIIio ,oddod ossort eor
IornIv questioning him rrtely with
nor eves Int coined noithor rayelatlon
nor promise for the present
or',,o ou.an,,o1 -,r,.4,,,ao, Co., -
,,o,-,, - g.. g,,',. ne,
,,snnI 81 tho ii, a,,5 H., 80
their wav 70 tbe IittIo mark retreat
Nellie I've orronoed for tba most
fomous wor Garden ennt a,,or wac II
come to mo like nm inenirot,on bovo
:, friend who owns tho old diemontled
foctorv neor tho river Won Know
here is oII kinds of nrairie snoca in
lts unused yard VOL 7 bnva got nor
mission 70 uso two nero Mot II
will be plowed up by Monday and
here's the list of seeds we need. and
here's the money to purchase them.
Wen look 1t over and if any partic-
liar vegetable suggests Itself to you,
note 1t down"
papa Just dotes on chard," submit
red Nellie.
"And nv father vows he never had
enough of satisfy" said Warren.
Write both down, Nellie. Wen teach
hose two born fighters lesson and
see II II won't help on our deplorabe
rase hit"
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-12-13
Thought Nose Broken
When Doctor Orders
Whisky for Break:

A belated account has been re-
ceived of recent automobile &C
cident in which r, A. Leussler, vice
president of the Omaha & Co mil
Bluffs Street Railway company, and
Alvin Johnson, attorney, suffered in.
juries. In the rush of matters con.
nected with the street Car strike the
real news of that accident was tenn,
porarily suppressed.
The accident occurred at Thirty
eighth avenue and Leavenwortt
street, A prominent physician, who
happened to be passing in his auto
mobile, ordered the victims into
house, where he attended them. He
examined Mr.. Johnson and all
nounced that he had suffered a
broken arm whereupon whisky was
given as first aid. Mr.. Leussler
watched the proceedings for while
and then he exclaimed to the doc
tor:
Il believe | have suffered broken
nose"
I'VE don't prescribe whisky for
broken noses" the doctor replied.
'I'll be derntd if | can understand
why whisky will help a man with a
broken arm and be of no value to a
man with a broken nose" was Mr..
Leussler's rejoinder.