davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-20
Surcharge on Fire Insurance
To Be Removed April 1.
Saving of $45O,000 AM
nually to Kansas Insurers.
ACT RESULT OF RECENT PROBE
State Sup't Says Nov. 8 Increase
Unjust, Unwarranted.
Fair Profit Earned Under Old
Rates. He Asserts.

Under an order issued this after
noon by Frank L. Travis. state super
intendent of insurance, the 10 per cent
surcharge on fire and sprinkler risk
insurance is to be removed April /.
The order means a saving of S450,000
a year to Kansas insurers.
The surcharge was made effective
November 9, last year. during the clos
ing days of the Carey J. Wilson ad-
ministration. An advance of 10 per
cent in all fire and sprinkler Insurance.
was imposed under the order Ten
days ago Superintendent Travis called
representatives of the insurance COM
panies before him for a hearing. As
result of the investigation which the
state department has conducted. the
surcharge tax was today removed.
Revise Schedules April 4.
Insurance companies are given until
April l in which to revise their sched-
ules and classifications and to remove
the extra tax levied last fall. The new
order affects all companies writing fire
or sprinkler risks in this state and
restores rates to their former stand
ard.
MY investigation showed that the
surcharge was unjust and unwar-
ranted," Superintendent Travis said to-
day, "and all companies which have
levied the tax in this state must re-
move 1t not later than April 1. 1t
was necessary in issuing the order to
give little time in which to readiuss
the differences in rates. These adjust
ments can be made in the next ten
days and the 10 per cent surcharge on
fire and sprinkler risks must then he
removed"
Insurance Men Protested.
Representatives of the insurance
companies protested against the re-
moval of the surcharge when they ap-
peared before the state superintendent
early in the month. Superintendent
Travis, however. found that the COM
panies could earn a fair profit on the
old rates and he today instructed all
companies affected to remove the tax.
Based returns made to the state
department by fire and sprinkler com
panies, the removal of the tax means
saving OF $4,000 year to insurers
in Kansas.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-20
HIS SISTER DIES
Relative of Mayor j. E. House
a Victim of Influenza.
Came Here When Brother Was
Ill With the Disease.

Mrs. George A. Sutherland, of Chi
cago. Ill, a sister of Mayor Jay f.
House, died this morning at o'clock
as a result of pneumonia following
influenza.
She came to Topeka on March I
in response to a telegram telling of
the dangerous illness of her brother
Mayor House. She was here only
brief space of time before she was
taken sick with influenza herself.
After coming to this city for what was
expected to be a fatal illness for her
brother the tragedy developed about
herself. Altho she had been sick for
several days, the family did not realize
the danger until about 1 o'clock this
morning. The influenza had been fol-
lowed by the development of pneu-
monia. Mrs. Sutherland was dead at
o'clock.
Her husband, who was in Chicago,
was wired during the night to come
at once, and will arrive in Topeka at
IL o'clock this evening.
Mrs. Sutherland was formerly Miss
Maude House. The family came to
Topeka in 1906 and Mrs. Sutherland
was connected for the following nine
years with the Topeka Daily Capital
in charge of the circulation depart
ment. In 1914 she was married to
George A. Sutherland, who was at that
time in the roadmaster's office of the
Santa Fe. The Sutherlands moved to
Chicago shortly after.
During the years /. Mrs. Sutherland
lived in Topeka she made a host of
friends and was well liked by the peo-
pie with whom she came in contact.
Her sudden and unexpected death
proved a severe shock to her family
and her many friends in the city.
AS George A Sutherland her huS-
band. will not arrive in Topeka until
late tonight, no funeral arrangements
have as yet been made. 1t is not
probable that they can be announced
before tomorrow evening. So far as is
known at present, Mrs. Sutherland
will be buried in the family lot at the
cemetery in Erie, Kan, their old home
town.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-20
YANKS HOME TODAY
Record of Ships Bearing Soldiers
From Overseas.

New York, March 20-Bringing
casual Company No. 1,473, comprising
two officers and 102 enlisted men of
Ohio, the steamship Maumee rrived
here today from Brest. These troops
are assigned to Camp Merritt.
Newport News. Va. March 20--The
transport Rijdam arrived today from st.
Nazaire: France, with the 133rd field ar
tillery. Seth (Lone Starr division. one hour
after the transport Princess Matoika ar
| rived from the same port with 695 men
of the 114th Machine Gun battalion of the
Thirtieth division. The two ships raced
from port to port, the soldiers themselves
to aid in the speed contest. The unit
aboard the Princess Matoika is composed
entirely Tennesseeans.
New York. March oO.-The transport
Dakotan arrived today with 1.S20 officers
and men of the 9th engineers. the 131th
and 18th aero squadrOns and several
casual officers.
The 9th engineers. AZ officers and 1.34G
men from Camps Devens, Dodge, Dix,
Grant. Pike and Sherman. was composed
of the country. Members of the organiza-
tion came as far as Alaska and Peru. They
went over to plant mines in prospective
battlefields. but owing to the retreat of the
to bridge building and the installation OF
waterwOrks and dugouts.
Washington, March 20.-Transport sail
ings were announced by the war depart
ment today as follows: Cruiser st. Louis
from Brest. due New York March 2S with
battaliOns. headquarters company, medical
detachment from Camps Sherman, Grant
Custer, Shelby and Funston.
Transport Ana Cortes, from Nantes for
ordnance. detachment of two officers and
three men.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-20
ON HUNGER STRIKE
L. w. w. in County jail Refuse
TO Eat Food Handed Them.
Throw RatiOns Out Thru Win.
dow and Batter Tin Dishes,

The twelve alleged 1. W. w mem-
bers now being held in the Shawnee
county jcil are on a hunger strike.
According 20 Jailer Hixon they have
eaten nothing since Wednesday MORN
Ing, at which time they complained
bitterly of the food served to them
Tor breakfast and threatened to COM
plain to Washington. Hixon said the
breakfast that day consisted of three
not biscuits. fried potatoes. syrup and
coffee for each man-that he himself
MADE breakfast off the food and
was highly satisfied.
since then. Hixon says, the men
nave taken food handed in to them
and threw il out the window. beside
Dattering and running the tin dishes.
They deserve better fare. they saw.
sheriff Larimer. who points out that
ms guests were forced upon him. as
sured them that they could eat the
same food as the balance of the pris-
oners or do without. The men are AN
under indictments and are being held
Tor trial Some of them have been In
jan eighteen months. It is said. They
were brought here from Wichita a
few days ago
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-20
ALLEN TO HUTCHINSON
Governor Will Sign No More Lcgisla-
tive Bills Until Saturday Morning.

Governor Allen will sign no more
new laws until he returns to Topeka
Saturday morning. The governor left
shortly after noon today for Hutchin-
son where he speaks tonight. He will
spend Friday at his home in Wichita
and will speak at reception for re-
turned coldiers in St John Friday
night
Under the Interpretation of the ad-
journment provisions, Governor Allen
has until Saturday noon in which to
sign or veto bills passed by the state
legislature. Before leaving Topeka to-
day he signed all bills which had
reached his desk. Bills yet to be en-
rolled will be reviewed by Judge G.
W. Smith. executive clerk in the gov
ernor's office. The bills approved will
then be signed by Governor Allen
VIXEN he arrives in Topeka Saturday
morning
To date the governor has exercised
his veto power but twice. Once he
disa pproved a bill allowing attorneys
fees in insurance cases. His second
veto was of a bill by Senator Getty of
Wyandotte county. which permitted
the state to interfere with federal en-
forcement of the migratory bird law.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-20
Company Must at Least Pay
Back Part of Money.
Rebate Must Be Borne Also by
Distributing Concerns.
COPIES OF OPINION ARE HERE
Consumers Won't Get Full 2S-
so Cent Difference, Tho.
That Is, Such a Thing Is Pos
sibIe, but Not Probable.

Natural gas consumers will doubt
less receive a refund of at least
portion of the money which they have
paid to Kansas Natural distributing
companies since the order wor issued
by Judge Booth increasing rates
Copies of the opinion handed down by
the United States supreme court nave
been received by the state public utll-
ties commission and provide for the
refund. 1t must be borne by the dis
tributing company and the Kansas
Natural receiver in proportion to their
benefits.
Not only did the United States SUI
preme court provide for the refund OF
additional rates. but the matter was
cafeEuarded in Judge Booths original
opinion. In this decree the federal
court judge required a bond of $780,
600 for the performance of provisions
of the order This bond was later re-
leased hut its provisions and require
ments have been written into all of the
decisions in the gas case.
Full Rebate Not Probable.
1t is not probable that consumers
will receive the difference between the
3S cent and GO and so cent rate ap-
proved by Judge Booth. The differ
ence, however, will be between the
rate ordered by the state commission
and that paid to the producing COM
pany under court order.
Consumers will not be required to
compute their own credits. The court
ordered that the gas companies keep
records of amounts paid by individual
consumers. These rcords may be used
in forcing d refund to gas company
patrons. II will he obligatory upon
the Kansas Natural and the distr1but-
ing companies to make refunds as
rapidly as possible. state commission
attorneys hold. and the basis of this
distribution will he determined upon
the new rates placed in effect. 1t is
possible. several authorities argue
that by reversing the federal court
order the state commission order be-
came Immediately operative and that
the basis of refund should be the diff
ference between the % cent rate and
the rates paid by consumers under
court order.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-20
A Wife IS KILLED
Poison i'm Fruit Cocktail
Other Woman COnfesses.
81 Was Crazy" She Said, "Only
Wanted To Be With Him."

Seattle. March 20.-Dudley M
Storrs, whose wife died here Tuesday
after eating a fruit cocktail in which
Miss Ruth Garrison according to the
police, confessed she put poison, was
Okanogan. Wash, where he worked
as an automobile mechanic. Miss Gar
rison, in her confession to the police,
said she was a rival for the affections
of Storrs. Early this week Miss Gar
rison returned from Okanogan, where
she visited Storrs, it was said.
Interviewers and Jail attendants to-
day expressed surprise at the calmness
and ease with which Miss Garrison
discussed her confessed crime. Miss
Garrison, who is but IS, was arrested
yesterday at the home of her uncle.
J. D. Esary, president of the Island
Transportation company.
Says She Wanted Him.
81 was crazy" she declared. Il did
not think of anything but wanting to
be with him. The impulse came to me
Tuesday morning and I carried it out
before l knew what l was doing.
What matters most, is not what
have done-it is too late for that-but
whether he still cares for me. The
main thing 1 want to know is whether
1 will be allowed to see him when he
arrives. 1 love Dudley Storrs with all
my heart and soul"
Mrs. Storrs partook of the poisoned
cocktail while she was the guest OF
Miss Garrison at luncheon. Miss Gar
rison said she invited Mrs. Storrs to
the luncheon to discuss with her the
question of the Storrses getting a di-
vorce. Soon after Mrs. Storrs took
the cocktail she gasped and tainted.
The tea room was in a department
store and she was carried to the stores
emergency hospital where she died
Miss Garrison formerly was a clerk in
the Seattle City and County building.
While there she met Storrs. then a
deputy sheriff
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-20
They Will Tell Today What
Ehey Think of League.
A Chance Will Be Given Them
To Offer Amendments.
SESSION MAY Be LONG ONE
Held at Hotel de CrillOn-LOrd
Robert Cecil, Chairman.
japanese Have Amendment
Giving Justice to All Aliens.

Paris, March 2O.-Neutra1 coun-
tries of Europe. Asia and South
America will be given opportunity to-
day to express their views and pro-
pose amendments to the league of ma
tions plan. Nearby neutrals. such as
Holland and Switzerland. have sent
delegates in response to the invitation
of the supreme council. while more
distant countries will be represented
by amba Ssadors and ministers residing
in Paris.
The meeting will be held at the
Hotel De Crillon, the American head
quarters. in the same room where the
covenant was framed, and it is pur-
posed to continue the session thruout
the afternoon and evening and if nee
essary tomorrow. in order to complete
all neutral proposal5 and prepare
them for submission to the commits
sion on the league of nations.
Lord Robert Cecil Heads 1t.
Lord Robert Cecil of Great Britain
will be chairman and Premier Veni-
zelos Greece, DR.. NJ. Vesnitch OF
Serbia, Paul r'ymans of Belgium, Col
Z. M. House of the United States, and
Leon Bourgeois of France will sit as
members of the sub The
claims of neutrals will be heard either
directly or by memorandum, Norway
Sweden, Denmark Holland, SWitzer-
land, Spain, Persia, Gautemala and
most of the South American neutrals
having some suggestions to make.
Those represented by delegates or
ministers will be heard together. ac-
cording to present plans. The three
Scandinavian countries will present
virtually identical proposals, it is un-
u'Ontiuupd on Page TwO,)
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-20
MEX SAYS NOT GUILTY
Hearing of Ramon Fuentes, "Duelist,' :
in Court of Topeka Tomorrow

Ramon Fuentes the Mexican with
whom T. P. Wintersteen, of Marys-
Vile. a travelling watchman for the
Union Pacific railroad, engaged in
revolver duel at Menoken last Tues
day, was arraigned this morning in
the court of Topeka on the charge of
assault with intent to kill. He plead
not guilty and was committed to the
county Jail in default of $4,000 bond
after the date of his preliminary hear
ing had been set for tomorrow morn
ing. The complaint was sworn to by
Wintersteen.
F'uentes started shooting at Winter
steen. it is said, when the latter put
him off a train on which he was
burning" a ride at rIeuoken. The
Mexican then pulled out a revolver
and a duel lasting several minutes
enSued. The Mexican was captured
later by officers as he was hiding in
the brush beyond the town.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-20
WAR BABIES WANT In
Their Fear of Future With Lower
Price Holds Up Schedule.

Washington, March 2O.-The steel
kings" are having some difficulty get
ting together on their proposed sched-
ule of lower steel prices.
Two factors are temporarily delay
ing an agreement. it was stated infor-
mally today.
/. The little fellows" whose plants
are war babies made possible by
war prices and war demands. are
afraid a sudden drop in steel prices
will force some of them out of busi-
ness.
.. Uncertainty as to the amount of
railroad purchases during the coming
year. these purchases constituting a
large factor in determining prices
based on supply and demand.
The steel men. thru lack of agree
ment, being unable to meet with the
industrial board as scheduled this
morning expected to have a joint con-
ference with the board this afternoon
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-20
Total Work of 1919 Legislature
Was About the Average.
Enactments Less Drastic, How
ever, Than of Other Sessions.
1866 BILLS FAILED TO SURVIVE
Nearly 100 Measures Deliber-
ately Slain on the Floor.
About $50 of 322 Acts Carry
Appropriations, Salaries.

The 1919 egislature-probably the
safest, sanest and most conservative
law making body in Kansas in twenty
years-passed a total of S22 laws. This
grand total is almost an average for a
ssion of the state legislature. But
the effect of the enactments is far
from as sweeping or general in scope
and effect as those passed by sessions
in recent years.
OF the total of s22 new statutory
provisions. III were senate bills. while
151 were house bills. A total of 1.066
bills introduced failed to reach the
statute books In many instances. tho
companion bills were offered in the
one house. it was substituted when the
original measure was called up in the
opposite body.
100 Bills Killed OH Floor.
Nearly 100 bills were deliberately
slain on the floor of the two houses
This is near record for open slaugh-
ter Usually the work is done in COM
mittee rooms. This year the mortuary
record of the committees showed a
good average. But the house and SEN
ate members wanted a taste of raw
meat. And they seldom missed an
opportunity to devour a measure that
promised a. first class barbecue.
Nineteen perfectly POOU senate Dills
which had passed the upper house
were killed when they reached the
floor of the house. Nor does that in
clude the gas attacks in committee
rooms. The senate murdered an even
dozen house bills on the floor.
Complete Records Not Finished.
Record clerks in both the house and
senate worked until late "Wednesday y
night checking up the final work OF
| the session. Many recoFds are yet &c
| be entered today. The task of index
| ing and cross-indexing the house ant
senate journals will begin in a few
| days.
From the total of 322 new laws
nearly $50 of them carry appropria'
| tions or concern fees and salaries %
| officials and employees of the state oi
| counties or cities. Many other bill,
are of a purely local character anC
/ the list of enactments of state wids
| concern is perhaps smaller than in an,
session in a generation.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-20
BOIshevists Are Beaten by the
Allies at Archangel.
Plan Invasion of Germany
Huns Will Battle Them.
LET'S NOW CAPTURE MITAU
French Troops Are Forced To
Retire After Encounter.
BOlshevists Start Thrust Against
POleS-HOId Ukraine.

London, March 20-Bolshcviki
forces were defeated in an attack on
the allied positions south of Archan-
gel, it was announced in an official
communique received here today.
1.-The Bolsheviki attacked Morje-
jorskaya, 130 miles south of Arch
angel" said the communique, dated
March Is. .'They were repulsed. leav-
ing five unwounded prisoners. fifty
seven dead, many wounded and six
machine guns in our hands,"
Let's Capture Mitau.
Copenhagen, March 20.-The i'm
portant railroad junction town of
Mitau. southwest of Riga, has been
captured by Lettish troops, Lettish
official statement issued on Wednes-
day announces. The Bolsheviki. the
statement adds, are retiring along the
whole front
Anti-BoIsheviki Movement.
Copenhagen. March 2O.-The Litfu-
anian information bureau announced
today that a new, strong anti-Bol-
sheviki movement has begun in that
part of Russia at present under So
Wet domination. 1t is said to be led
by a group known as the Independent
Communistic party. The bureau de-
clared it is well represented at the
front and that many cities have joined
the movement including Kilna. In
the latter place, the new party is pub
fishing a newspaper, which says:
1.-The Bolsheviki must cease their
warfare and the soldiers must return
home. If they are not permitted to
do so they will return without permis-
sion"
Plans Invasion of Germany.
Berlin, March, 2O.-"A Bolshevist
invasion of Germany is being planned,
timed to coincide with fresh uprising
here and in Austria" the National
Z :itung declared today. Attempts
will be made to capture Vienna"
Commit Nameless Atrocities.
Chicago March 20.-"I must hold
my heart with both my hands for fear
it will burst from pain wrote Nine.
Helena Paderewski, wife of the Polish
premier to President Smutski of the
National Polish department here.
There is misery here and famine"
her letter said. 1.-The Polish army is
hungry, without shoes and without
cloaks in zero weather. Our enemies
commit the most horrible atrocities.
Some of the women taken prisoners
were impaled on pickets. So were also
(COnCinnet, On Page 1woD
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-20
WILSON WILL PRESIDE
He Will Be II. Charge of League Meet
ing To Talk of Amendments.

Paris, March 20.-President Wilson
will act as chairman at the meeting
of the league of nations commission
which will be held Saturday when all
proposed amendments and changes
will be considered and the plan put
into definite form. This will be the
first meeting of the commission since
the covenant was adopted the day be-
fore Mr.. Wilson left for America. and
it will consider proposals submitted at
the hearing of neutrals tomorrow and
also any other suggestions which have
taken definite form. Lord Robert
Cecil and Thomas w. Gregory. former
United States attorney general. are
now here and are among those who
have sought to draft a proviso rela-
tive to the Monroe doctrine in such
form that it will meet the approval
of legal experts.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-20
DIVORCE ONE IN NINE
Census Bureau Says Most Marriages
Are Happy On>s.

Washington, March 20.-Approxi-
riaEes in the United States is termi-
mated by divorce. according to figures
compiled by the bureau of census and
made public today. Excluding South
Carolina where all laws permitting
divorce were repealed in 1878, the
three lowest divorce rates in 1916. for
which year returns are complete, are
shown for the District of Columbia
North Carolina and New York where
the rates were IS, 81 and 81 per 10O.-
900 respectively. The highest rates
were returned for Nevada. Montana
and Oregon. which show COZ, 323 and
225 respectively.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-20
LUXEMBOURG TO BALLOT
VIII Decide Whether To Form Re-
public or Retain Dynasty.

London. March 2O.-The Luxembourg
chamber of deputies passed bill on
March IS. by a vote of thirty to twen-
ty, calling for a plebiscite to decide
whether the present dynasty will he
maintained. a new dynasty created or
republic esta ablished according to
dispatches received here.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-20
UNCLE SAM GOES
AT THINGS IN HIS
USUAL SLOW WAY

Wichita. March 20.-Pvt. Frank n.
Cnalk lI-year-old son of Mrs Anna
Chalk. was killed in action in Jun.
IL. 1918. more than eight months ago.
but MS mother did not receive news
OF his death until Wednesday. The
information came from the war de-
partment. Chalk was a marine. He
enlisted at Wichita when only 1s
years old.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-20
MUST SECURE PERMISSION
Numerous Missions to Germany Arc
Cause of Order.

Berlin, March 20.-Because of the
great number of military and civil
entente missions which have visited
Germany since November. the Ger
man ca abinet has decided. according
to the Kreuz Zeitung that no person
from an allied country will hence
forth be permitted to travel in Ger
many without special permission from
the armistice commission
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-20
FAVOR A NEW STRIKE
spartacans Are Active in Working for
WaIkout on March 20.

Derne. March 2s-Spa rtaeanS ar.
beginning agitation for a new general
strike March 2s. declaring that ibis
time victory is certain" a Berlin dI4-
patch reported TODAY.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-20
Kahn There-Not Baker.

Paris. March Represe ntative
Kahn of Califor lia landed at Brest
yesterday from the United States and
rea ched Paris today. This morning,
Paris newspapers enormously an
nounced the arrival at BrCst of Sec
retary of War Baker who is still in
the United States Ami investigation
disclosed that he probably bad l., en-
confused by the COZ respondents with
Representative Kahn.