The Lexington Leader (Lexington, Okla.), Vol. 25, No. 14, Ed. 1 Friday, December 17, 1915 Page: 2 of 13
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L E A D E
YUAN SHI-KAI, THE EMPEROR
STATE CARES FOR AGED VETERANS
W
oca
16
| ishment of the submarine commander I
and for indemnity for the killing and
injuring of innocent American citi-
zen?.
The course the United States will
pursue is understood to have been de-
termined upon. The word prompt as
used in the note is understood to mean
I that Austria-Hungary must accede to
1 the demand of the United State.* with-
in a week, at I he most. If the demand
is not complied with, immediate sev-
erance of diplomatic relations is n
garded as certain.
The situation between the two coun-
tries is complicated by the facts which
have been brought to the attention of
I the state department In connection
Washington.—The text of the Amer-j with the investigation of Austrian con-
Jcan note to Austro-llungary regard-j ^ular and diplomatic officials. These
Ing the sinking of the Italian steam-1 cases, involving Alexander Von Nuber.
ship Ancona, made public recently, re- consul general at New York; Daron
veals a formal demand by the United Erich Zweidinek, charge of the Aus-
States for prompt denouncement of the I trian embassy here, and other officials
"illegal and indefensible" act, for pun-j still were under consideration.
NO DIPLOMATIC QUIBBLING
SUCH AS CHARACTERIZED
THE SERIES OF LUSITANIA
NOTES TO GERMANY.
SINKING OF THE ANCONA
'SLAUGHTER OF INNOCENTS1
Disavowal of Act, Punishment of Sub-
marine Commander and Indem-
nity Demanded or Diplomatic
Relations Will Be Severed
Within a Week.
4
TEXT OF THE AUSTRIAN NOTE
Washington.—Tlio secretary of state to Ambassador Penflpld:
Department of State.
Washington, D. C.—F'leaso deliver a note to the minister of foreign
affairs, textually as follows:
Reliable Information obtainedVrom American and other survivors who
were passengers on the steamship Ancona shows that on November 7. a
submarine flying the Austro-Hungarian flag fired a solid shot toward the
steamship; that thereupon the Ancona
attempted to escape, but being over-
hauled by the submarine, she stopped;
that after a brief period and before
the crew and passengers were able to
take to the boats the submarine fired a
number of shells at the vessel and fin-
ally torpedoed and sank her while
there were yet many persons on board;
and that by gun-fire and foundering of
the vessel a large number of persons
lost their lives or were seriously in-
jured among whom were citizens of
the United States.
The public statement of the Austro-
Hungarian admiralty has been brought
to the attention of the government of
the United States ami received care-
ful consideration. His statement sub-
stantially confirms the principal declar-
ation of the survivors as it admits that
the Ancona, after bring shelled was
torpedoed and sitok while persons were
still on board.
The Austro-Hungarian government
has been advised, through the corre-
spondence which has passed between
the United States and Germany, of the
attitude of the government of the
United States as to the use of sub-
marines in attacking vessels of com-
merce, and the acquiescence of Ger-
. many in that attitude, yet with full
[knowledge on the part of the Austro-
I Hungarian government of the views of
| the government of the United Statos
expressed in no uncertain terms to
I the ally of Austro-Hungary, tin' com-
mander of the submnrine which at-
tacked the Ancona failed to put In a
[ place of safety the crew *ind passengers
of the vessel which they purposed to
destroy, because, it is presumed, of the
\ impossibility of takinr it port as
a prize of war.
The government of the United States
"considers that the commander violated
the principles of international law and
nf hyimnnitv bv shplllnE and torpedoing tlie Ancona before the persons on
bLrHad been nut in a nface of safety or even given sufficient time to leave
board had been put in a place ui > chnraclBiiznf ns
Secretary Lansing.
attempting to escap«
attack, not even the possibility of
rescue.
The government of the U. S.
Is forced, therefore, to conclude
either that the commander of the
submarine acted in violation of his
instructions or that the imperial
and royal government failed to is-
sue instructions to the commanders
of its submarines in accordance
with the laws of nations and the
principles of humanity. The gov-
ernment of the United States is un-
willing to believe the latter alter-
native and to credit th<k Austro-
Hungarian government with an in-
tention to permit Its submarines to
destroy the lives of helpless men,
women and children; It prefers to
believe that the commander of the
submarine committed this outrage
without authority and contrary to
the general or special instructions J
which he had received. [
As the good relations of the two!
countries must rest upon a com-
mon regard for law an l humanity, J
the gow'-nment of the United!
States cannot bo expected to do J
otherwise than to demand that the
imperial and royal government de-1
nounce the sinking of the Aneona}
as an illegal and indefensible act;
that the officer who perpetrated the
deed be punished and that repara-
tion by the payment of an indem- I
nity be made for the citizens of J
the United States who were killed
or Injured by the attack on the |
vend*
The government of the United '
States expects thnt the Austro- ... . .
Hungarian government, appreci.it- de Burian, Austrian Foreign Minister
Ing the gravity of the case, will
accede to Its demands promptly; and It rests this expectation on the
belief that the Austro-Hungarian government will not sanction or defend
an act which is condemned by the world as inhuman and barbarous, which
is abhorrent to all civilized nations, and which has caused the death of Inno-
cent American citizens.
LANSING.
After two years of a republic, China,
by a referendum vote, is again to be
a monarchy, with the present presi'
dent, Yuen Shi-Kai, on the throne. No
date has yet been announced for the
coronation, but the preparations for
the event are being hastened. It prob-
ably will not occur, however, before
January 1, owing to the pledge ol
China to the entente powers that there
would be no change in the government
this year.
GATHERING U. S. SECURITIES
ENGLAND MAKING DESPERATE
EFFORT TO SAVE CREDIT.
Lot Will Be Used To Pay For Muni
tions Bought In America
For the Allies.
London.—After an explanation by I
the chancellor of the exchequer, Regi
nald McKenna, and a short debate,
the house of commons passed the sec- I
ond reading of the bill empowering
the government to mobilize the Amer- I
ican and Canadian securities by pur
chase or by borrowing them to be
used primarily as collateral for loans
or in case of necessity to be sold tc
meet Great Britain's liabilities in thf
United States.
The scheme is an entirely voluntary
one and the chancellor made it cleat
There are nearly a hundred confederate veterans and their wives and widows of veterans now living In .ht
comfortable home provided by the state at Ardmore. Mrs. Lutie Hailey Walcott of Ardmore donated the site of the
home, and the main building contains a tablet bearing this inscription.
"Enshrined in the hearts of all friends of this institution is the memory of Mrs. Lutie Halley Walcott, who do>
nated the land to this home." .... k„iiji.i
The home is supported by state appropriations and recently a hospital building was added to the main building
and put Into service. ... ,. . .
Out just a few miles from the beautiful city of Ardmore, these hundred survivors of the great war are living hap-
pily. In hall, on porch and in sunny bedrooms there is cheer and friendliness. Papers and letters ^®eP 71
touch with the world outside. None of the inmates have rules for living long lives to offer, but ail declare thei
happiness, and welcome visitors, escort them about the home and pass hours telling the stories of
HENRY BOOKMAN PAYS PENALTY
CHENOWETH HAS
FOR POND
PUN
BUILDING
Game Warden John Chenoweth has
requested the assistance of the state
board of agriculture in a campaign for
artificial pond building in Oklahoma.
The plan is suggested from the fact
that the state is soon to begin work on
its first fish hatchery, the last legisla-
that the government had no intention ture having appropriated $30,000 of the
of swamping the American maret with
securities, whlcli would be unfair to
holders here as they were to be paid
for at the maret price.
Mr. McKenna explained that thu
usual trade balance in favor of Great
Britain had been exhausted by the
huge demands made upon America for
goods for England and her allies and
the amounts paid in interest on foreign
securities held here or earned on Brit-
ish shipping were not sufficient to set
this right. Consequently in order to
meet liabilities in the United States
they were obliged to go outside the
ordinary course of trade and had to
borrow or sell securities. He esti-
mated that the securities held here
were valued anywhere from £300,000,-
000 to £800,000,000 ($1,500,000,000 to
$4,000,000,000) and expressed the hope
that this would bo sufficient "to meet
our liabilities and to maintain ex-
change in the United States for the
period of the war."
) game fund to be spent this and next
I year for the establishment and stock-
ing of two hatcheries in the state.
The site for the first hatchery has
already been selected, just south of
Medicine Park, near Lawton, on the
government reservation. A grant is
ALLIES ARE DRIVEN OUT OF SERBIA
Germans May Now Pursue Them Over
Greek Border.
AUSTRIA BEGINS THE QUIBBLE GAME
Vienna.—The American note to Aus-
tria-Hungary concerning the sinking
of the Italian steamer Ancona is re-
garded here as weak in one important
point which may deprive the note in
general of its foundation.
This concerns the standpoint taken
that the Austro-Hungarian govern-
ment should be familiar with the alti-
tude of the American government re-
has not concerned itself in any way
with the Lusitania case.
Charge's Version Accepted.
■Washington.—The state department
probably will accept the explanation
made by Baron Erich Zweidinek,
charge of the Austio-Hungarian em,-
bassy here, regarding a letter he
wrote to the AuBtro-Hungarian consul
general in New York suggesting that
London.—The British and French
troops have successfully carried out
their retirement rrom Serbia across
the Greek frontier, and by an agree-
ment with the Greek government, a
clear road has been left for them to
fall back on Saloniki, which is being ] ment this year, Game Warden Cheno-
organized as a base.
Mr. Chenoweth, "if ponds were built
on every farm not already supplied
with running w ater, would soon mount
into millions of dollars annually. They
would contribute to the propagation of
game and insectiverous birds who
would richly pay" in returns to our
farmers. Professor Nice, of the Mass-
achusetts state university, is authority
for the statement that insectiverous
birds are worth one hundred millions
annually to cotton growers through
their destruction of boll weevil alone.
Trees would soon fringe these ponds
and the improvement and benefits will
repay many fold."
SIXTH COTTON GINNING REPORT
Shows Half Million Bales of Oklahoma
Crop Ginned.
Washington.—The sixth cotton gin-
ning report of the season, compiled
from reports of census bureau corres-
pondents and agents throughout the
cotton belt, announced that 9,711.453
bales of cotton, counting round as half
bales, of the growth of 1915, have been
ginned prior to December 1. That
compared with 13,073,386 bales, or 82.2
per cent of the entire crop ginned
prior to December 1 last year, 12,088,-
412 bales, or 86.5 per cent in 1913, and
11,854,541 bales, or 87.9 per cent in
1912. The average quantity of cotton
ginned prior to December 1 In the last
ten years was 10,691,933 bales, or 83.4
per cent of the crop.
Ginnings prior to December 1 in Ok-
now pending in congress, introduced!lahomai with comparisons for the last
by Congressman Ferris, and the fish|three years and the percentage of the
and game commission plan to proceed entir0 crop ginned in this state prior
with the building of the hatchery a'jL that date in the same year, follow:
soon as it has been approved. 11915 445,680
In advance of the establishment of ] J.914 1,018,796 82.7
the Oklahoma hatchery and the dis-K913 764,295 90.7
tribution of fish by the federal govern-' 1912 869,278 86.5
First Electrocution at McAlester Is-
Successful.
John Chenoweth.
garding the freedom of the seas be- neutral passports be bought to assist
fcause President Wilson had explained reservists in this country to reach
this to the German government, thus Austria-Hungary.
implying that Austria as Germany's 1 he
ally "should be acquainted with the Constantin Dumba, the recalled am-
, , , , . . , „ . v,,, bassador, was in charge of the ein-
nnnciples laid down and desired by
^ v bassy. Baron Zwiedlnek explained he
Washington. wag a subordinate official at the time
Against this stand of Washington an(j was acting under the instructions
the objection is raised in responsible of Dr. Dumba. Secretary Lansing did
quarters here that the government has not indicate what his view would be
knowledge of the negotiations in the but it is learned that there is no dis-
Lusitania case only through the new- n>,.,ition at the department to ques-
papers; that it could give to these re- tion the charge's statement that he
ports no diplomatic value and that it was not responsible for the letter.
The German official report claims
that "approximately two English di-
visions were annihilated" during the
retirement, but this is considered here
an exaggeration. Accounts from
Athens and Saloniki say the retreat
was carried out in an orderly manner
and without heavy losses. By the de-
struction of railway bridges and roads
and by stubborn rear guard actions
in one of which two companies of the
Innlskilling regiment sacrificed them-
selves to save their comrades, the Bul-
garians were kept at a fairly safe dis-
tance.
The question now arises whether the
Bulgarians and Austro-Germans intend
letter was written while Dr. | to follow the British and French troops
into Greece and what action the Greek
government will lake should they do
so. The impression gained from dis-
patches emanating from Athens is that
neither the Bulgarians nor the Turks,
who also are reported to have arrived
near the frontier, would be welcomed
in Greece and that, therefore, if It has
been decided to follow the entente
allies the task will be undertaken by
Austrians and Germans.
Germany Disavows Rlentelen's Acts^ Respite For Condemned Men.
Washington. Count % cm Bernstorff, Little Hock.—Governor Hays an-
the German ambassador, announced | nounce(j t(,at j,0 wlu grant a respite of
that he had been authorized by his gov- thlrty dayg tQ Clarencfi Dew,on „f
ernment, to disavow Captain Kranrj
Von Reintelen and declared he had
no instructions to commit any illegal .barely 21, under sentence to die in the
acts. The embassy said Klenielen electric chair. This will be the fourth
acted solely in the capacity of a pur- respite that has been granted the pair
Binco the conviction more than two
years ago of the murder and robbery
of an aged storekeeper at Benton,
Ark. Dewein is the son of a saloon-
keeper of Belleville, 111. Strong, who
U an Italian, says he has no home.
Carranza Passes "Nullification Act."
Washington.—Formal notice of the
nullification by General Carranza of
"nit acts, contracts and concessions"
of the Huerta mid conventionalist gov-
chasing agent for private intsrests
Rientelen, now a prisoner in London,
has been charged with coming to this
country armed with a large corrup-
tion fund to incite strikers in muni-
tions factories.
Belleville, 111., and Joe Strong, each | ernments in Mexico reached the Mex
ican embassy here from Mexico City.
The order is effective immediately. It
notified individuals and corporations
holding concessions granted by Huerta
and conventlonist government officials
that it would be necessary for them to
make new applications exactly as
though no such concessions had here-
tofore existed.
weth proposes a campaign for building
artificial lakes and reservoirs. In a|
letter to President Gault of the board
of agriculture, he says:
"Should you deem it advisable to
take this matter up through the agri-
cultural schools of the state, to te
i made especially a part of their exten-
, sion and farmers short course work,
and procure the co-operation of fed-
eral demonstration agents and such
other agencies as are at your com-
mand, this department will gladly sup-
ply you with such materials as per-
tain to our part of the project and co-
operate with you in every way pos-
sible."
Mr. Chenoweth calls attention to the
statute which exempts from taxation
lands used for artificial ponds and res-
ervoirs; the great value of ponds to
live stock and their proven benefits to
drouth conditions, and urges that with
the assurance of ample fish to stock
them, their value is inestimable, and
that a proper presentation of these
facts to the farmers of the state should
result in the building of many thou-
j sand* of ponds during the winter,
The food value of the fish," says
Asks $20,000 For Death of Husband-
Sallisaw.—At a meeting of the board
of trustees, attorneys for Mrs. Maud
Stewart of Atkins, presented a demand
for $20,000 damages incurred by the
loss of her husband, w-iio was killed
by lightni g at a picnic here July 3,
1014. Lightning struck a light wire
leading to the grounos, resulting In the
death of three persons and injury of a
number of others. Mrs. Stewart al-
leges that the town is responsible.
HEALDTON LINES ARE PERFECTED
Pipe Carriers to Take Entire Produc-
tion by December 15.
Oklahoma City.—Pipe lines will be
carrying approximately 100 per cent,
of the production in the Healdton oil
Held by December 15, according to
authentic information received at the
office of the corporation commission.
This will mean much to the producers
in that district as they have been un-
able to market their production be-
cause of the limited capacity of the
carriers serving that field. The Mag-
nolia Company, which has been oper-
ating in the field since it was first
developed, has just increased its carry-
ing capacily
Healdton oil is selling at 55 cents a
barrel, that being the posted price, but
the producers are dissatisfied with
that figure and are asking the corpor-
ation commission to fix the minimum
at which oil shall be sold in that field,
at a figure in excess of the posted
price.
TAXES WORRY IN GRADY COUNTY
Tabulation Shows An Increase of 40
Per Cent Over Taxes of 1914.
Chickasha.—Heavy increase of the
tax ■ of this county are causing both
worry and indignation among property
owners in Grady county. Flgurss se-
cured by H. N. Mullican show an in-
crease of 40 per cent this year over the
taxes of 1914. The fund required in
1914 was $80,136, while the 1915 de-
mand Is for $111,685.
McAlester.—Henry Bookman, negro
the first man to be executed in Okla
homa by electrocution was sent to hU
death in the electric chair in the base
ment of the state penitentiary at I
o'clock Friday morning. Seventy met
witnessed the execution.
The first application of electricitj
was made when Assistant Deputy War
den Jedlicke raised his hand in 3igna
at 1 o'clock. Behind a canvas screen,
an unknown executioner throw a
switch. At the slight 'chug" of the
lever the bound negro stiffened. Five
seconds the seventy spectators knelt
or stood breathless. A second signal
was given. A second time the 3witcb
was thrown. In the gap between the
black mask and leather cap, dead eyes
stared from a black face which ha3
been living a moment before.
Doctor Shaw, prison physician, lis-
tened at the chest of the lifeless flesb
for the sound of heart beat. There
was none. Until he nodded a few sec-
onds later the only sound to be heard
in the white-walled basement room
was the labored breathing of a son of
the man for the murder of whom the
negro had been killed by the law and
the choking gasps of the executioner.
The physician nodded and turned
away. Prison attendants began the
unstrapping of bindings. The specta-
tors stared briefly at the chair and
victim and slowly filed from the room.
Warden R. W. Dick of the peniten-
tiary was in direct charge of the exe-
cution. S. L. Morley and A. N. Wil-
cox, members of the state board of
affairs, were present. It was under
their direction that the electric chair
had been installed.
Bookman was killed by the state in
payment for the murder of Rich Har-
din, a farmer of Eufaula on April 2,
1915. The switch that sent 2,300 volts
of electricity through him was closed
by a man opposed to capital punish-
ment.
Warden Dick is opposed to capital
punishment.
The crime for which Henry Book-
man was sentenced to be electrocuted
was the murder of Rich Hardin, a
white farmer, which occurred at the
home of George Booth, Bookman's ne-
gro employer, about half way between
Nero and Fame, in McIntosh county,
shortly after 2 o'clock in the afternoon
of April 2, this year.
Students To Do Wiring.
Norman.—Students themselves In
the school of electrical engineering ol
the University of Oklahoma will do the
wiring in the new $100,000 science hall
being erected on the university can>
pus. They can do the work just aa
well as the high-priced workmen usu
ally given the job, the method works
a saving for the state and at the same
time gives valuable experience and re
inunerative labor to students.
Rejected Suitor Kills Teacher and S«lf.
Drumright.—Because she repulsed
his attentions and accepted those ol
other suitors, Dan Williams, a farmer,
23 years old, shot and killed Jfebel
Kutz, 20. a school teacher in the Man-
ford district, twelve miles northea*^
of Drumright. Discarding the weapon
with which he killed the school
teacher, Williams drew another revol-
ver from his pocket and shot himself
through the head, dying instantly. The
double tr&gedy was enacted at the
girl's home, about a mile from Mann
ford.
i 1
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The Lexington Leader (Lexington, Okla.), Vol. 25, No. 14, Ed. 1 Friday, December 17, 1915, newspaper, December 17, 1915; (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc110704/m1/2/: accessed April 24, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.