Newspaper Page Text
THE WEATHER
Fair tonjght and Thursday.
THE ONE PAPER IN MOST HOMES -THE ONLY PAPER IN MANY HOMES
THE ATHENS DAILY HERALD
VOL. 5. NO. 216.
ATHENS, 6A, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MAY 2, 1917.
and Austria Face Internal Crisi
May Day Passes With Only
( Minor Disorders Reported.
Field Marshal Haig Reports a
Gerdian Raiding Party Re
pulsed in Neighborhood of
Fauquisart—Opposing Armies
< Continue Locked Along the
Scarpe—Rioting in Russia
Monday.
Woman Prepared to Wreck
Own Life to Save Husband
Makes Appearance in Court
Beyond officially inspired dis
patches from Berlin stating that
no disorders occurred on May
Day in Germany the ceil of se
crecy in the central empires re
mains unbroken so far as direct
news is concerned. Dispatches
from the German frontier apeak
of treat strikes.
Rumors increase regarding
the growing unrest of the Te u -
tonic_people. Everything points
to a crisis in the internal affairs
of Germany and Austria. The
demand for internal reforms is
voiced in a manner unknown
since the war started.
No disorders were reported
from Austria-Hungary, Sweden
and Norway, where the labor
holiday was celebrated.
Sordid Details of Another Hu
man Triangle Bared in Trial
of Charles E. Vawter For
Slaying of Stockton Heth.
Wife Led From Courtroom
Before Defendant Began
Story That Blackens Her
Name—Vawter Tells of His
Fight Against Liquor.
(By United Press,)
INACTION REPORTED.
London, May 2.—Another night of
inaction insofar a^ large movements
were concerned, was reported front
the British front today by Field
Marshal Haig.
"Between St. Quentin and Lens
there . was mutual artillerying at
Bight," he declared. "In the neigh-
borhood of Fauquisart a German
raiding party was repulsed."
The halt in major operations on
the British front has now extended
over three days. Meanwhile the
.armies on both aides continue locked
albur-tHt Stttpe, neither aide being
able to gain against: the big forces
oppoaing.
MAY DAY PEACEABLE.
London, May 2.—May Day passed
peaceably In Russia, following a day
iff small sited rioting in Petrograd
in which the bombs were thrown,
numbers of citixens were arrested,
shots were flred, and Major General
Kashtalinski fell victim to an assas
sins bullet
The rioting occurred Monday. Dis
patches from Petrograd today at-
(By United Press.)
Christiansburg, Va„ May 2.—The
woman in the case appeared in court
today for the first time since her
husband, Charles E. Vawter, went on
trial charged with murdering young
Stockton Heth.
Mrs. Vawter was almost noncha
lant during the half hour after her
arrival. Then the stares from the
spectators packed in the little court
room began to burn into her and she
figited nervously, changed seats
twice, the second time to be botween
her children, and at times smiled
wanly at her husband who was al
most the more unconcerned and
poised of the two. •
Mrs. Vawter, whose "admissions"
according to her husband's counsel
are to save her husband's life and
wreck her own, looked far younger
than her thirty odd years.
DETAILS LIFE HISTORY.
Cajmly, Vawter detailed his life’s
history. Then he told hog, after
twenty-one years of drinking, whisky
elks > n small quantities now, always
makes him drowsy.
Next he told of his acquaintance
with Heth, whom he had known for
ten to twelve years. One night last
May, he said, was the first time, he
began to suspect the friendship was
being betrayed.
Heth called on us that night,” said
Vawter. "He brought some whisky
with him. We drank together. I
grew drowsy and want to sleep in the
parlor. About midnight 1 awakened,
went up stairs and saw my wife (cav
ing Heth’s room ioJter night gown.
v ••
E
IS WRECKED BY
'Something snipped in my brain.
Infuriated. I demanded that my wife
tell me what it meant. She told me
she had merely gone in to fix Heth’s
bed-covers. I said nothing more to
her. but went to path’s room and told
him, 'Stockton, you are a damned rob
ber of homes and a libertine. 1
Before I could say* more, Heth
grabbed me and choked me. Later,
in my room, Rachel, my wife, told tne,
‘Be sensible, Charlie. You're just
making a fool of yourself.' Then
Heth, who had come into the room
said, 'Don’t pay any attention to him.
tributed all the trouble to extremist i he is wrong,’ so I
-> ; went on to bed.
a Tuesday's celebration of May Day,* ALLAYED HIS SUSPICIONS
SlIr'AhS Retina Next, Vawtert told how both hi,
r«cfo4jdthout untoward incident’ wif «.». nd Heth completely allayed Jfi,
nnnrcntto all over Russia. More "usp.don. for the nonce with projes-
apj
iparcntly
than a million people in Petrograd
atio
joined the celebration in great par-
ades, speeches and demonstrations.
Moscow, Kleff, Odessa and Vladivo-
stock all reported similar peaceable
demonstrations. It was the first time
in history the people were able to
openlv celebrate May Day. Petro- ----- , .
grad dispatches all made note of Rus- ■<™F ®Y wUo. r M id n0 Sy
ria's aim of not waging a war of The letter here was introduced un-
profit In lands or domination of other j dor objection.
peoples. President Wilson’s name The rcst of Vawter’a tragic story
was frequently mentioned and al-: was little different from other simf
ways cheered by the crowd.
tations of friendship. Vawter said
similar incidents occurred only to be
smoothed over, but that* between-
times, he kept “thinking-—thinking."
“I tried to talk to Stockton, but
knowing my weakness for liquor, he
would furnish it and then out-talk me.
So I wrote him begging him to keep
HEAVY ARTILLERY FIGHTING.
Paris, May 2.—Heavy artillery
fighting in the Mont Haut and Mont
Comillet rations and a successful
(Continued on Page 6.)
WIRE YOUR
HOME
fi outlets installed, one
in each of 6 rooms in sny
one-story home on or
near our lines $10.80
5 drop cords installed
complete with shades
and raasda lamps 6.76
Total
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$1.74 per month for 12
months pays for the installa
tion. H
Phone 208 end have a repre-
rcscntatlve call and talk It
Athens Railway &
Electric Company
Hancock and College
lar stories that have been told in
many courtrooms. Dramatically, with
the silence tense, Vawter told of his
terrible fight against liquor, how the
man he killed had cultivated that
taste and a similar one in his wife,
which was declared by Vawter to
"keep the wife inclined to his evil
ways” and how he had later found
Heth and his wife together, scantily
clothed, in tjie bedroom which Heth,
the friend, had been given to occupy
whenever he visited the Vawter homo,
which had been made a second home
for the young student.
WORKED MIND TO CLIMAX
And then, after detailing thia year
long situation when he was torn be
tween his mad love for whiskey and
his better seif and love for his home,
Vawter worked wickedly Axis mind up
to the climax to the story of the night
when finally despite a brain befogged
with whiskey he was goaded into
shooting the life from his one-time
friend’s body.
"I wakened suddenly that night,"
said Vawter.
“Yes,” he acquiesced, somewhat
wearily, as his counsel interposed a
question, “I had been drinking again.
Stockon had brought it over. Wo ell
had taken some. Yes, again I grew
drowsy and went to bed early. I just
heard my wife come to bed. And then
suddenly.” he repeated, "I awakened
to find her gone—end I knew where
she had gone.
"It was too awful. My brain, thank
God, had cleared. I determined to
stand it no longer. I got mf revolver.
I went to the hell. 'My wife wae
leaving* Stockton’s room—again.
SOM ETHIC, SNAPPED INSIDE
“My Wife must have known some
thing had snapped. Inside me. Ska,
begged me to let her kill herself. I.
knew, finally, positively then, what
had been too cowardly to believe be-
(By United Press.)
Pittsburg, Pa., May 2.—One of the
greatest clean-ups in the history of
the city in wild finance wns disclosed
hert today as investigators under
State Insurance Commissioner J.
Denny O’Neil delved into the book*
of the Pittsburg Life and Trust com
pany.
Commissioner O’Neil declared
shortly before noon that it was evi
dent that the concern has been
wrecked. Within two days, he said,
a group of New York promoters
headed by attorney Clarence Birds
eye, got control of the big concern
and milked it for $1,900,000 through
the operations of a set of dummy di
rectors.
"Warrants have been issued for
Birdseye, his son, Kellogg Birdseyt,
George Montgomery, Robert Moore
and Alfred Leury, all of New York,
and for W. D. McQucstin and a man
named Watson. The addresses of the
latter are not known. They are
charged with conspiracy to defraud.
How much more than the amount
$o far known has realized by the al
leged wreckers could not be definite
ly learned upon first examination.
But it was estimated that a much
higher figure would probably be
reached, it was stated.
In Its April report the company
claimed assets of $24,OOOflOQ with in
surance in force aggregating $118,-
000,000.
It bad strong men at’its bead and
*11 excellent financial condition. For
several years, however, the company
had a “white elephant” on its hands
In the shape of several pieces of val
uable New York real estate deeded to
It by the Old Washington Life and
Trust company. It wished 4o dispose
of it, either by sale or deal, bringing
in return stocks and bonds of recog
nized Birdseye and his party, practi
cally penniless but with a credit of.
$200,000 established through Nepr'
York banking connections, came here
with the expressed intention of mak
ing a deal on the New York realty.
They found smooth sailing and appar
ently decided that they would prefer
to own the company.
With a check of $120,000 to bind the
operation of the entire stock of the
concern they gained a control, elected
a board of “dummy directors’* and
according to the allegation purchased
the company.
“Papa” J off re, the Ido1 of the Poilu
The poilu—that’s the man in the trenches—know hi***, not as a marshal of France, as Marshal Joffre,
but as “Papa” Joffre, the genial, gentle, manly man, who saved a people in its hour of danger. “Papa” Joffre
is a smiling man, and the photogra pher in Washington caught him twice *!n the mood which earned for him
the titje of “Papa” Joffre. /
Nation's Success in Present War, -
Demands Full Cooperation Between
State and Federal Governments
WOMEN WILL TAKE
PLACE OF MEN ON
EASTERN RAILROADS
(By United Press.)
New York, May 2.—Many big
eastern railroads today started mak
ing arrangements to employ women
in place of men called to arms by the
draft.
Among the roads which are taking
these steps are the New Haven, Le
high Valley, Eric, New York Central
the Pennsylvania and the Long Is
land.
The Central Railroad of New Jer
sey has not made*any plans yet, but
by experiments already conducted in
its system it feels sure that women
can do the work of a large number of
ore.
"I told her that I would try . to
the mot.
All roads, made It plain that no
men would be displaced by women
unless actually drafted. The women
will be used In departments not ac
tually engaged In physical operations
of trains. .
Officers of the Lehigh Valley stated
that women are now being given pre-
.ferenee in the hiring of new em
ployes, in departments where thay
art able to do the work, as Hi* man
agement expects many men will be
called to the colon within a fow
months.
The Lehigh Is already employing
women as ear cleaners and hta made spoke
some experiments with them at train Secret
dispatchers. The Now York Central
It employing women as ear cleaners.
make Stockton leave the house at
once.
“Then I felt his eras about my
neck. He had leaped upon mo from
behind, in tho dark. I cried oat to
iim to loose hit choking grip. He
ntwered he would not nnd threw mo
tgsinst the railing.
“Then the pillars of the univent
II
‘seemed to fall against me, I know
not what happened, excepting that I
fired I think twice, but do not now
know.
"A little later I awakened as if
from aomo horrible dream. I than,
and only then, knew Stockton was
dead."
(By United Press.)
and federal government must work
and federal governments mus twork
in clooeat-cpopention in tha nation’*
vff the nation Is to be success
ful in tha greatest of all wars, Secre
tary of War Baker told representa
tives of all state councils of defense
when they opened sessions here to
day.
Mr. Baker did not mention specifi
cally the matter of military coopera
tion, but he plainly hinted that this
importan matter still is unsettled, and
would be subject to change.
Especially will this complete co
operation be necessary in putting to
gether the parts of the great army
machine authorized by congress, Mr.
Baker said. As far as possible every
effort will be made to preserve the
identity of the national guard, in the
building up of the great urmy-to-bc,
Mr. Baker continued, in outlining
roughly the plans for enforcement of
the selective conscription plan.
The sessions today marked the first
real Itea of organized cooperation be
tween the states and the federal gov
ernment in the matter of national de
fense, and Mr. Baker urged the first
steps to be taken by the stated to
make the first nation-wide conscrip
tion registration day “a great national
demonstration of patriotism and firm
ness of purpose.”
Make that day a national festival
occasion,’ said Mr. Baker.
FORM OK COOPERATION
The exact form of our cooperation
on the other side is difficult to de-
termine and is to my mind, subject to
change.’
Outlining the machinery for rais
ing the net prmy. Secretary Baker
said.
"As soon as the bill becomes a law
the president will probably set'a day
by proclamation for registration
throughout the nation. The men will
go to their usual polling places and
register. * *
"As far as possible, the election
systems of the townships, villages
and counties will bp used.
“In an enterprise of such a magni
tude there is bound to be some confu
sion but after the first class is prop
erly registered and aasorted we can
call successive levies with little diffi
culty.
"Wl
ble, even in industries vital to the
military machine.
As far as possible, Bslcer said,
state quotas "would be kept together
aidL: each state will be required to
furnish its quota based upon popula
tion.
The jury wheel process will be
used to select from the Urge number
of physically At.
The men discarded will be con
sidered honorably discharged and
given some mark to indicate it.
WAR LIKELY TO BE LONG.
Secretary of interior Lane warned
the governors that the war is likely
to be long.
“And it will be fought on this side
of the Atlantic,’’ he continued, "un
less wo bent the Germans to it. Our
ship yards must speed up, and surely
can speed up to supply the tonnage
needed to bridge the 3,000 miles be
tween us snd Europe.”
Moreover, Lane advised that the
nation lay its plans, and prepara its
resources for greater than a onc-
year struggle. Jit this connection he
pointed to a report of Herbert C.
Hoover of the Belgian Relief Com
mission showing that Germany still
has two years’ supplies—plenty of
coal and iron and 18,000,000 cattle
.wherewith to feed her fighting men
THE ROCKHJIM IS
TORPEDOED AID
SUNK BY SUB
tth your cooperation
ilac* <
make the polling place on that day an
altar of fra* Institutions."
^ ANi
SECRETARY DANIELS SPEAKS.
Secretary of Navy. Daniels also
spoke to the coflneif representatives.
itory of Interior Lane, Secretary
of Commerce Redffeld, General Hugh
Scott, chief of staff and other offi
cials of the general staff were pres
ent it the meeting.'
The council reprasantatlves will be
received by President Wilson this af
ternoon after which thay will go into
ternoon after which they will go into
session with tho Council of National
Defense. Secretary of Libor Wilson
and Pierson of the Iowa State Agri
cultural College will talk to tho body
on labor and food problems.
Answering a volley of queatlons
concerning exemption regulations.
Baker explained that no specified
classes of Industrial workers will be
exempted u an entire class. The
local councils will fix the exemptions
individually.
Baker axplained ithat certain indi
vidual* are not considered indispensaj bar quit fighting like one.—Ex.
Church Flag Flies
Over Old Glory on
JSavannah Edifice
(By United Press.)
Savannah, Ga, May 2.—To betok
en recognition all of the mighty pow
er above the Stars and Stripe* "and
thereby add dignity to the national
emblem,” the church flag today was
hoisted over Old Glory at a flag rail
ing at. St. Paul’s Episcopal church
here.
So far as Is known, St Paul's
church is the first to make this dis
tinction in displaying the American
flag.
NORWAY’S MERCHANT
NAVY BEING SLOWLY
DESTROYED BY SUBS
(By Aiaoeiated Press.)
Christiana, Hay 2.—German sub
marines sank Mvanty-five Norwegian
vessels during April.. More than 100
Norwegian sailors lost thtir lives. If
snch a monthly loss is maintained
Norway’s merchant navy will be de
stroyed in eighteen months.
TWO VE88BL8. UNK.
lay 2.—Aceoi
London, May 2.—According to the
Centra! News Norway announces
that German submarines have sunk
the Norwegian steamers Hectoria
angisnd.
and Langl
saved,
Tha crews were
BANK R0BBER8 GET $1,600
i (By United Press.)
t, May 2.—T1
Johnstown, Pa., 'May 2.—The First
National bank *t Lilly, near hart, was
robbed by fire man early today, $1,000
in coin being token from the flpult,
which wae blown open. One man was
wptured and $100 recovered. The
itnerreseaped.
The hear that walka like a man
(By United Press.)
London, May 2.—Thirteen men of
the American steamer Rockingham,
torpedoed and sunk by a German sub
marine, wen missing today when a
patrol vessel brought* in word of the
tragedy through testimony of thirty-
three slrvlvors. The thirty-three were
picked up yesterday. They were in
two boat loads. Onqgboat, with the
thirteen men still unaccounted fit, is
missing.
Survivors said a German submarine
sunk the Rockingham.
DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAY. 15.00 PER YEAB.
If Terms Include Giving Up
Strongholds in Bulgaria, Ser-,
bia and Turkey, Allies May
Consider the Proposition—If
No Eastern Concessions Are
Offered, the Allies Will Brand
the New Peace Move as a
Fak*—Permanent Peace Not
Expected by the Allies.
kBy George Martin, United PreM
Staff Correspondent)
Washington, D. C., May 2.—H
Germany’s peace terms tomorrow in
clude giving up her strongholds in
Bulgaria, Serbia and Turkey.the al
lies may look twice at the proposi
tion, ft was stated authontively here
koday.
If Germany offers no concessions
[in the eastern theater, the alHes will
brand the peace move a* a fake, be
cause . Germany’s eastern control
would give her a death grip on “a
[vital nerve center of the world.”
It also became known today that a
majority of tha allies do not expect,
la permanent peace in the sense of
Ithe word that there will never
[again bt war. They will be aatisfied
with a peace insured for five or six -
generations.
A peace baaed on concessions on
the western front alone—evacuation
of Belgium, giving up Alsace-Lor
raine and other similar concessions—
the allies say would mean only ex
ceedingly brief peace, a mere breath-
mm ipsllfor the Teutons.
1,300,000 GERMAN
■ - SOLDIERS KILLED
Lloyds does not list an Amsrican
steamer named Rockingham.
* Other shipping records, however,
show the vessel ta have been a new
steamer of 2,824 tons, last reported
as having arrived on March 20, com
pleting n trip from Liverpool. Her
commander was than given as Captain
Edwards.
YSGGS ROB POSTOFFICE.
(By United Press.)
Greenwood, S. ,C„ May 2.—Yeggs
early today cracked the safe In the
postoffice at Phoenix, this county, and
escaped.
, (By United Press.)
Amsterdam, May 2.—To date Ger
S y. has lost 1,300,000 killed in
ting, according to statistics com-
I by Dr. Friedrich N’aumann snd
announced in a recent lecture in Ber-
4in, according to advices here to
day.
Naumann estimated that with this
staggering total of killed and the de
crease In the German birth rate the
total German population bad been re
duced by 3,800,000. The surplus of
females over mala* In Germany, he
figured, had fcin increased from 800,-
00 to more than 2,000,000;
PEACE PROPOSAL
(By United I’reas.)
London, May 2^—What sort of
peace terms German Imperial Chan
cellor von Bethmann-Hollweg would
offer tomorrow before the German
Heichstag ran tho gamut of specula
tion todqy. Most London newspapers
agreed the chancellor’s second proffer
has been forced by growing unrest
throughout the central empires for
some official government statement
o Germany's war aims.
ATHENS HERALD
The circulation of The Athens Daily Herald
for the month of March, 1917, was as follows:
April 1 (Sun.) April 16 ..3,483
April 2........4,925 April 17........4,090
April 3 3,851 April 18....... ;3,480
April 4 3,360 April 19... 3,487
April 5 3,450 April 20 3,488
April 6 4,144 April 21........3,515
April 7 3,600 April 22...... (Sun.)
April 8...... (Sun.) April 23 .8;535
April 9 3,429 April 24........3,573
April 10 3,664 April 25 ..3,560
April 11 3,438 April 26........3,571
April 12 3,446 April 27 3,558
April 13 3,444 April 28 3,570.
April 14...... .8,470 April 29 (Sun.)
April 15: (Sun.) April 80 . ..3,743
Tptal circulation for April, 1917. i 90,874
Daily average circulation for April, 1917 3,635
Dally average circulation for March, 1917 3,516
The Athens Daily Herald has a circulation in
Athens approximately twice as large as that of
any other Athens newspaper. Advertisers and .
agencies are invited to test the accuracy of these
figures in comparison with the claims of any
other Athens newspaper.
e'M
