The Oklahoma Ledger. (Sterling, Okla.), Vol. 11, No. 17, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 6, 1916 Page: 5 of 8
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THE STERLING LEDGER
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THREE MORE ZEPPELIN RAIDS THOMAS J. PENCE IS DEAD
FIFTY-NINE KILLED, 166 ARE IN.
JURED IN LONDON.
EPII
TEUTON INFANTRY MAKES DES-
PERATE EFFORT TO PIERCE
FRENCH LINES.
BIG SLAV LOSSES REPORTED
Berlin Reports Casualties of 80,000 in
Eastern Offensive.—Activ-
ity On the Other
Fronts.
London.—Another determined effort
by the Germans, under command of
the Crown Prince, to creak through
the French lines northwest of Verdun
has resulted In failure and with heavy
losses to the Germans.
After days of intense artillery prep-
aration for another effort to lessen
the six miles intervening between
them and the Paris-Verdun railway
and the nine miles still between them
and Verdun, the Germans launched a
preat Infantry attack on the Haucourt
Bethincourt sector. In successive
waves the Germans were thrown into
the fray but all of their attempts were
put down by the curtain of fire of
the French guns and fire of the French
Infantry.
There Is still an intermitten bom-
bardment going on northeast of Ver-
dun and in the Woevre region, the
French have been shelling German po-
Zeebrugge, German Submarine Base, Attacked by Great Flock of British)
French and Belgian Air Machines.
that the attacking forces have suffered
heavy casualties.
A semi-official dispatch from Berlin
says the Russians have attacked In
their new offensive with sixty divis-
ions over a front of 120 milometera
and that their losses have been not
less than 80,000 men. Heavy artillery
bombardments on the Doberdo heights
and along the Isonzo continue.
A German torpedo boat destroyef
was rammed and sunk by a British
light cruiser in the recent engagement
off the German coast There were no
German survivors.
Two additional steamers have been
sent to the bottom, the Eagle Point, a
British vessel, presumably by a tor-
pedo, and the Harriet, a Danish vessel,
by a mine. The crews of both vessels
were saved.
The unity and solidarity of the en-
tente allies and the decision to "con-
tinue the struggle to victory for tho
common cause" were rea>rirmed in res-
olutions passed by the conference of
the allies In Paris.
London figures in damage done ship-
ping since Germany's new submarine
campaign was begun show that In less
than a fortnight, beginning March 15,
vessels with an aggregate tonnage of
70,000 have been sunk, one third of
this tonnage belonging to neutrals.
The sinking of the British steamer
Empress of Midland, of 2,224 tons, is
reported. The crew was saved. Cas-
ualties from the explosion which dam-
aged the cross-channel steamer Sus-
sex are not expected to exceed fifty,
the steamer's agent announces.
Berlin dispatches give the total sub-
scriptions to the fourtn German war
loan as 10,677,000,000 marks.
BERLIN FAILS TO ANSWER GERARD
American Officials Anxious In Sub-
marine Matter.
The German Crown Prince.
Bitions. In th? Argonne they are giv-
ing the German lines no rest, while in
the Vosges the artillery action has
been marked on both sides.
On the British front in the St. Elol
sectors the Germans opened a heavy
artillery fire on the British forces
holding the ground gained by them.
The British artillery replied effective-
ly, and according to the British official
statement these positions still are in
the hands of the British.
Russians Attack Failure.
In the Postavy region of the Rus-
sian front Berlin reports that the on
slaughts of the Russians against the
German lines have been withstood and
Washington.—Five days have now
! passed since Ambassador Gerard was
j instructed to inquire of the German
government whether any of its sub-
marines torpedoed the British channel
steamer Sussex, and the United States
still is without an admission or denial
of responsibility. Nor has any word
come from Mr. Gerard regarding the
inquiries he was instructed to make
regarding the attacks upon the British
ships Englishman and Manchester En-
gineer.
It is assumed here that the German
government Is withholding any state-
ment while awaiting reports from
submarine commanders. Officials are
puzzled, however, by the failure of the
ambassador at Berlin to make some
kind of response to the state depart-
ment's communication.
One Machine Brought Down—British
Public Is Pleased With Improve-
ment In Defensive Acts.
London.—With the exception of the
big air raid of January 31, when the
casualties were sixty-seven persons
killed and 117 injured, the Zeppelin
raids of Friday and Saturday nights
caused greater loss of life than any
previous aerial attacks this year. The
total casualties for the two nights, ac-
cording to an official report, were fifty-
nine killed and 166 wounded.
As some compensation for this sac-
rifice of life, however, the British
public finds satisfaction in practical
proof afforded of the great Improve-
ment in the defensive methods dealing
with aerial incursions. For the first
time since the inception of this method
of warfare on the British coast, not
only has one raiding Zeppelin been
brought down and its crew taken pris-
oner, but the official report recounts
an exciting aerial fight between a Zep-
pelin and a British airman, Lieuten-
ant Brandon, who, mounting to a
height of 9,000 feet, flew over the raid-
er and dropped several bombs on it
with effect.
The machine of Lieutenant Brandon
was hit several times by machine gun
bullets from the Zeppelin. It is still
unknown whether the Zeppelin in this
flght was the L15, which was brought
down off the Thames estuary, or an-
other craft which is believed to have
dropped its machine gun, petrol tank
and other parts.
Albert Brandon, the British airman,
is a native of Wellington, N. Z. He
is 32 years old and joined the flying
corps last July.
In connection with Lieutenant Bran-
don's exploits, an unconfirmed but in-
teresting report from Copenhagen
states that a Danish fishing vessel ob-
served at a great distance in the North
sea what appeared to be a half sub-
merged Zeppelin. The authorities ex-
press the hope that this may prove to
be the machine that Lieutenant Bran-
don bombarded.
Saturday ngiht's ra'd was much less
serious than that of Friday night.
Only the most meagre details of the
last attack, however, are yet available.
According to these, only one of two
raiders succeeded in passing the coast,
the other being turned back. Sixteen
persons were killed in this raid, of
whom six were women and children.
About 100 persons were injured.
Lieutenant Commander Breithaupt,
commander of the Zeppelin L15, in an
interview with the Associated Press,
disavowed any desire or intention to
kill civilians in air raids, though he
admitted they might unfortunately fall
victims to the more important military
objects of the raids. He asserted
that aircraft commanders were able
to define buildings below them, but he
was unable to determine how close
tho bombs would go to the objects
at which they were dropped.
A correspondent in a northeast coast
town says a Zeppelin sighted there
at 11 o'clock Saturday flight, dropped
fourteen explosives and seven bombs.
Ten men, three women and three chil-
dren were killed and twenty-five per-
sons were seriously injured. About
eighty others received minor injuries.
A train car inspector was killed and a
woman tram-oondmctor suffered the
loss of a leg blown off. Several houses
were wrecked in one street. One
bouse was demolished but the family
of five escaped.:
REAL BATTLE, NEAR GUERRERO
RESULTS IN 31 DEAD
MEXICANS.
riLLA BADLY WOUNDED FLEES
Pershing Troops After Forced March
of 65 Miles In 17 Hours
Completely Rout
Bandits.
C HAHRIS & fWtNG
Thomas J. Pence, secretary of the
democratic national committee died at
Washington after a long illness and
was buried at Raleigh, N. C., his birth-
place.
BAD WRECK ON N.Y. CENTRAL
MORE THAN THIRTY LIVES ARE
SACRIFICED
Towerman and Fog Believed to Blame
For One of the Worst Railway
Wrecks in Years.
Prices of Meet Animals Mount.
Washington.—Prices of meat ani-
mals were 16.4 per cent higher on
March IB than they were on that datt
a year ago and 12.7 per cent highei
than the average of the last six years
on March 15. Prices paid to producers
of the country for meat animals In-
creased 3.4 per cent from February 15
to March 15 this year compared with
an average increase of 3.1 per cent in
the period of the last six years. Prices
paid for beef cattle increased 45 cents
over last year and 98 cents over th«
six-year average.
Cleveland.—With a toll of at least
thirty persons dead and forty or mon,
Injured, federal and state official'
and officers of the railroad companies
began an investigation into the cause
of one of the most disastrous wrecks
that has occurred in this state in a
dozen years, and one of the worst in
the history of the New York Central
system.
Three trains, including the Twen-
tieth Century Limited, westbound,
the New York Central's palttial flyer,
and two sections of No. 86, known as
the Chicago-Pittsburgh limited, east
bound, came together in collision near
Amherst, Ohio, thirty-three miles west
of Cleveland.
The first and second sections of No.
83 were proceeding at a rapid rate and
at some points were only a mile or so
apart. When the second section
crashed into the first section the
Twentieth Century plowed into the
wreckage of the first two trains which
bulged over rrom the parallel tracks.
The day coaches and engines of No.
86 were toppled over and wreckage
was piled thirty feet in the air. Two
cars were smashed to junk, fourteen
coaches overturned.
The Twentieth Centjiry, not with
standing its impact with the debris
from the other trains, emerged almost
unscathed and proceeded on its west-
ward journey, its passengers uninjur-
ed except for a severe shaking up.
A pall of fog from Lake Eriee had
settled down over northern Ohio and
the night was one of almost inky
darkness. This, with the alleged fail-
ure of a towerman to do his duty
under the rules, was ascribed by some
of the railroad officials as the cause
of the wreck.
San Antonio.—Villa's force, esti-
mated at 600, was severely defeated
at Guerrero on Mr.rch 29 by Colonel
Dodd, according to a report from
General Pershing to General Funston
sent from the San Geronimo ranch.
The Villa loss was placed at 31
killed and the American four wound-
ed. Among the Villa wounded was an
officer named Lopez, who Genera!
Pershing thought might be Pablo Lo-
pez, who led the band that murdered
seventeen Americana at Santa Ysabel
and who afterwards was erroneously
reported killed In the fight at Colum-
bus.
General Elizeo Fernandez was
among the Villa dead.
None of the Americans wounded
was seriously injured.
Villa was not present at the fight.
General Pershing said that what was
regarded as confirmation of the re-
port that he was suffering from a
broken leg had been received. His
exact whereabouts had not been learn-
ed.
U. S. TROOPS LANDED IN CHINA
Swatow Quiet; Chang Chow Fu De-
clares independence.
Pekin.—Marines from the United
States gunboat Wilmington went
ashore at Swatow, where the Chinese
troops have declared their indepen-
dence of the central government. The
detachment reconnoltered and found
the city quiet.
A Chinese gunboat also is anchored
off Swotow, which is a seaport of
Kwangtung province, 120 miles south
of Amoy.
Amoy.—Chang Chow Fu, one of the
largest cities of China, has declared
Its independence of the government of
Yuan Shi Kai.
The officials at Amoy have sent a
request to the American consul, asking
that an American warship be sent to
this port.
Chang Chow Fu is a city of about
900,000 inhabitants in Fo Kien prov-
ince, twenty-four miles northwest ol
Amoy which is its port. It is a seat
of the silk manufacture and has exten-
sive iron works in connection with the
neighboring mines.
IMMIGRATION BILL PASSES HOUSE
Carries Literacy Test and Asiatic Ex.
elusion.
Washington.—The Burnett immigra-
tion bill, with its literacy test and As-
iatic exclusion provisions unchanged,
passed the house by a vote of 308 to
87. It now goes to the senate, where
favorable action is regarded as as-
sured.
The literacy test about which the
fight against the bill has centered, was
sustained 284 to 107. This provision
has been the cause of vetoes of similar
Immigration bills by Presidents Cleve-
land, Taft and Wilson. The house
passed the bill over the Cleveland
veto but It failed in the senate. Mo-
tions to override the vetoes of Presi-
dent Taft and Wilson were lost in the
house by narrow margins.
Both record votes—on the literacy
tesrt and one the passage of the bill—■
were without regard to party lines.
During the debate the Humphrey
reciprocal exclusion amendment al-
ready adopted aimed at retaliation on
British Colombia because of its exclu-
sion of skilled and unskilled labor
from this and other foreign countries,
was madifled upon discovery that it
operated against immigration from
Russia. It was changed bo as to make
it applicable only to a "contiguous"
foreign oountry.
Forced March of 17 Hours.
Colonel Dodd led his seventh and
tenth cavalry in a smashing ride from
the north towards Guerrero when he
learned of the presence there of the
Villa force, covering the fifty-five miles
intervening in seventeen hours.
It was a complete surprise to the
Villa force which had entered into ft
celebration of its victory over tho gar-
rison the day before. Soon after the
action began the Mexicans were break-
ing for cover and beginning to dis-
appear along the trails that led to the
mountains northeast of the railway.
For ten miles the running fight that
began at Guerrero was continued and
abandoned only when the division of
the retreating force into numerous
small bodies made pursuit impossible.
Colonel Dodd reported that he had
captured two machine guns and a con-
siderable number of saddle and rifles.
The fleeing bandits left behind several
Caranza soldiers who said they had
been held by Villa for execution. They
were released by the Americans.
General Pershing said that it was
not improbable that Villa would en-
deavor to reassemble his forces some-
where along the headwaters of the
Santa Maria river. He is moving his
forces in such manner as to prevent
if possible new concentration or to
re-engage any force that does make
a stand. Ho regarded as probable
the elimination from active develop-
ments of Villa for some time on ac-
count of his injured leg.
Villa has been concentrating his
forces in that part of Chihuahua with-
in the past few days and the force h«
has gathered along the railway not
far from Minaca, where he was re-
ported to have visited his wrath on
some of the residents, is believed to
be greater than any he has com-
manded since he began his flight from
the border almost a month ago.
Colonel Dodd with the seventh and
tenth cavalry has been moving stead-
ily south and west since the division
of the American forces at Galeana
and unofficially it was learned that
the general move of the punitive force
has been toward the district where
army officers now are convinced Villa
is preparing to make a stand. The to-
tal strength of the Americans Is not
so great as that of Villa but no appre-
hension as to the outcome was mani-
fested at General Funston's head-
quarters.
Pleasure rather than anxiety was
evinced when it was learned that fight,
ing was about to begin. Army officers
were confident that the ability to
shoot straight, already demonstrated
at Columbus and on the sortie wade
by the little detachment that pursued
Villa across the line after his raid on
Columbus, would be displayed again.
Just what support the CarrafiiS
forces will be able to give was only
conjectured but no doubt was ex-
pressed that they might fail in their
part. Although between the com-
mander of the Carranza troops and
General Pershing there is no agreed
npon plan, it is admitted that the
Carranza leader is as much in earn-
est about driving Villa into a corner as
is the American general.
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Seay, R. R. The Oklahoma Ledger. (Sterling, Okla.), Vol. 11, No. 17, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 6, 1916, newspaper, April 6, 1916; Sterling, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc155393/m1/5/: accessed June 16, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.