The San Antonio Light (San Antonio, Tex.), Vol. 36, No. 25, Ed. 1 Sunday, February 13, 1916 Page: 1 of 56
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FOUNDED 1881—VOL. XXXVI—NO. 25
SUES 10 TEST
COUNTY BOARD
SALARY Li
George C. Altgelt Asks In-
junction Against Gutzeit
and Hoefgen.
SAYS ACT IS ILLEGAL
Alleges Payment of $2OO Per
Month Should Not Be Paid
to Commissioners.
A suit to test the validity of the
act of the Legislature whereby the
county commissioners of Bexar
county are paid »200 per month
for their services was filed yester-
day in the Thirty-seventh District
Court by George C. Altgelt. County
Commissioner Charles X. Gutzeit
was chosen as the object for the
test case and County Treasurer
Peter P. Hoefgen is made co-de-
fendant with Mr. Gutzeit. District
Judge W. S. Anderson set the hear-
ing for February 25 at 10 o'clock
in the morning when he will de-
termine whether to grant or to re-
fuse the injunction sought by Mr.
Altgelt. Attorney E. P. Lipscomb
is counsel for the plaintiff.
The main basis on which Mr.
Altgelt relies in his prayer for in-
junction to restrain the further pay-
ment to Mr. Gutzeit of the $2OO
per month salary is that the special
road act passed by the Legislature
under the terms of which each
commissioner is allowed such sal-
ary. is illegal in that "it Illegally
regulates and attempts to regulate
the affairs of Bexar county by a
local or special law different from
the general laws of the state of
Texas." Plaintiff claims that under
this special law. he. as a taxpayer
is forced to assume greater tax bur-
dens than are laid on residents of
Other counties managed under the
general state law regulating the pay
of county commissioners.
Gist of Plaintiff's Petition.
Plaintiff Altgelt sets out that
Commissioner Gutzeit was elected in
November. 1914 as commissioner of
Precinct No. 2. and that he qual-
fied and took office November 30.
1914 It alleges further that Areas-
urer Hoefgen has the public funds
of Bexar county In his keeping.
It further asserts “That Defend-
ant Gutzeit. since his incumbency
of office has drawn the sum of
$•’00 per month at and after tbe
end of each month claiming such
sums as his salary as county < ’ on J"
missioner. and that Defendant Hocf-
gen has paid to his co-defendant
Gutzeit the said monthly salary of
$2OO from the public funds of Bexar ।
county." u
Further petitioner avers that the
Commissioners’ Court provided in
its annual budget for the payment
of the monthly salary by appro-;
printing a total of $2 400 for the
yearly allowance for such purpose.
The act of the Legislature ap-
proved March 24. 1913. is cited as
authority for the action of the com-
missioner and the treasurer and the
petition continues:
"Petitioner upon his information
and belief charges that the said
act of the Legislature Is uncon-
stitutional and void insofar as it at-
tempts to fix the salaries of the
county commissioners of Bexar
county at $209 per month for this:
That it illegally regulates and at-
tempts to regulate the affairs of
Bexar county by a local or special
law different from the general laws
of the state of Texas."
Shows Where He Is Damaged
After reciting that he is the own-
er of real and personal property in
Bexar county subject to taxation
the plaintiff continues:
"Petitioner avers the fact to be
that by the Illegal appropriation of.
$2OO per month on the part of De- ।
fendant Gutzeit. and the illegal pay-
ment of said amount to him by his
co-defendant. petitioners burdens
•a a taxpayer are increased anil
will continue to be increased unless
the injunction hereinafter prayed [
for may be issued."
The prayer for injunction asks
that ‘ the w rit of injunction may |
issue enjoining and restraining said j
Defendant Gutzeit from drawing
and appropriating to his own use;
the said salary of $2OO per month
and enjoining and restraining De-
fendant Hoefgen from paying such
salary from the funds of Bexar
county but not Interfering with the j
per diem compensation for county ]
commissioners fixed by the general ‘
laws of the state of Texas."
The road law under which the
countv commissioners are drawing |
a monthly salary of $2OO was pass-
ed as a special act by the Legisla- I
ture in March. 1913. It carried
the emergency clause and at once i
the countv commissioners —the court I
consisting then of the safe person- 1
nel as now —began drawing $2OO per
month.
MINISTER ENDS LIFE
111 mid IVared to Be Burden to His
Wife. His Reasons.
MENA. Ark . Feb. 12.—Ret . E. O
Stuckey a well known Methodist
minister of this city ended his own
life nt Willard. N. M.. today accord-
ing to word received by his relatives j
Tiberculosis prompted the act. ac-h
< -ding to a note Dr. Stuckey wrote I
bre his death The minister after ;
flowing morphine placed a towel j i
sol. ed with chloroform over his i
face. In his note he stated he did I
not want to be a burden to his wifej
during his illness.
THE SAN ANTONIO LIGHT
jCQMMANDS PRIZE CREW|
This picture of Lieutenant Hans
Berg the German naval officer in
command of the prize crew which
brought the British-African liner to
Newport News was made as he
stepped ashore from the vessel to
confer with Collector of the Port
Hamilton.
ACCUSED OF PAST IN
$500000 STAMP THEFT
Chicago Man Arrested Follow'
ing Confession of Man He
Boarded With.
CHICAGO. 111. Feb. 12. Georgi
W. Bissell slayer of Detective Ser
geant William Russell in 1909
known to the police of a dozen cities
as a safe-blower under the naim
•the gimlet man.” has been nam**i
as one of two men who robbed th<
uifice * i ihe cuMector of interna
’Tonne at S*. Paul. Minn. of $5OO.
000 worth of stamps and more that
$2000 in cash January 6. Edwan
Leonard said by the police to have
u record as a safe blower is th*
other man.
Bissel] wag accused in the confes-
sion of John J. Zeck in whose
home he was arrested. Arraignec
with Leonard before United States
Commissioner Mark A Foote. Bissel
was sent to the county jail in default
of bond of $lOOOOO.
Officers went to the Zeck home
at noon broke into th<- front room
of the Zeck flat where Bissel
boarded and covered him with
their weapons before he could gel
out of bed.
GIRLS HELD FOR RANSOM
Turks Ask From $2O to $5O for Re-
least of t'aplivcs.
NEW YORK. Feb. 12. The Amer-
ican committee for Armenian relief
is en&igcd in the work of ransoming
captmed girls and women from the
hands of Turks and Kurds accord-
ing to a statement issued by the com-
mittee tonight.
The Turkish officers the state-
ment says for money will tell
where the captive women can be
found. Further 'payments will cause
the captors to bring them to an ap-
pointed place.
“And then.’’ continues the state-
ment. “it is a matter of how much
money will be pin*’ for their release.
Ail of this work is being done by
American missionaries in Persia as
well as in the Urumian section and
elsewhere.”
The missionaries report the com-
mittee says that the cost of re-
claiming these girls varies from $2O
to $5O.
Denio* ticmruM Caused Fire.
BERLIN. Feb. 12 • Via Say-
ville.) The Nord Dcuts< h Alge-
meine Zeitung declares that the re-
port that the Canadian Parliament
buildings at Ottawa were set afire
by Germans is incorrect. The paper
adds that the destruction of build-
ings by such means not only would
be detestable but nonsensical.
THE WEATHER
FORECAST.
Eaw* Texas: Sunday fair. Colder ex-
cept tn northwest portion and the Rio
Grande valley. Temjeraturo will fall 30
degrees or more. Monday fair not so
cold.
West Texas: Sunday fair. Monday fair
and warmer.
HOME WEATHER FOR TOI~RIST*.
''Forecasts by The Light.
ST. LOVIS: Temperature. 34. snowing
K-mPe wind from the northwest fair
»nd colder highest temperature Saturday
CHICAGO: Temperature. ??. cloudy. 12-
mlle wind from the north: colder Sun-
lay. highest temperature Saturday. 30.
MILWAUKEE: Temperature. 24. cloudy
b-mtle wind from the north colder Run-
lay; highest temperature Saturday. 28
KANSAS CITY: Temperature 24. clear
:4-mlle wind from ths north; fair and
:older; highest temperature. Saturday. 28.
NEW YORK: Temperature. 28. snowing.
18-mile wind from the north: snow Sun-
lay. highest temperature Saturday. 30.
BOSTON' Temperature. 24. snowing; 4-
nlle wind from the north; anon Sunday;
’iKheet tempo.ature Saturday 26.
WASHINGTON: Temperature 40. »loud.'.
)-mi’o wind from the southeast; rain
urn ng to rnow highest temperature Sat-j
irday. 40.
gampaignfoh
NEU Mtns
IS SUCCESSFUL
in Six Half Days Workers Se-
cure $28000 for Chamber
of Commerce.
WORK THREE MORE DAYS
Ten Teams tc Continue Can-
vass Monday. Tuesday
and Wednesday.
Jubilant over the remarkable suc-
sess of the Chamber of Commerce
membership campaign last week in
j w hich practically $28000 was raised
by soliciting teams m six half-days.
I the business and professional men
I responsible for the achievement have
5 ! determined to push their victory
1 home by continuing the canvass over
1 ■ the Munday. Tuesday and Wcdnes-
-1 : day of the present week. As ;. result
‘; of the new etiort it is expected the
‘ total of the fund fur the ensuing year
1 । will be increased to $ ‘5000.
Instead of the wing formalion em-
: ! ployed in the main campaign a
; scheme which kept the interest of
! workers at fever heat from begin-
ning to end the competition in the
cl. ’sing canvass will be strictly be-
tween teams. A theater party at the
■ Majestic Theater is the reward oiler
ed to the team making the best show
i ing in the three days.
| It is planned to have ten teams in
the field each working under a cap-
J tain and reporting to the general
• campaign committee. Teams are be-
• ing formed in rcadincsse to start out
1 at 9 o’clock Monday morning. Many
I of the men who have volunteered for
service are the same .'lies who <h-
j voted their mornings exclusively to
the campaign last week.
Those Agreeing to Work.
; Am»ng those who have agreed to
'work are A. M. McCloskey. C. V.
: Birkhead. L. J. Hart. T. 11. Flannery
; i Frank James Charles Graebmr L.
B. Clegg Dr. <’. S. Vt nable H. J.
। 1 Haves Joe Ludovic Ray Mackey
I Phil Wright. J. W. Foster. Fred
J Fries E. E. Dilley Ed Fomby. J. W.
King A. G. Beckman Jack Burke
A. P. Ford. Herbert Barnard. R. P.
। Schermerhorn. Franz C. Groos. R. \ .
' Wood J. 11. Meyer and O. M. Farns-
; w^rth.
It is the consensus of opinion that
the canvass of last week was the
most notable money-raising cam-
j paign ever made in San Antonio. In
face of continued attacks on the
’ i Chamber of Commerce these attacks
I being started fully two weeks before
I the beginning of the -amass solic-
• iting teams secun d a total of
1116 1-2 memberships in the six
i half-days of work. representing
$27912.50 in money. And many of
tiie memberships were signed on a
j three-year basis which means that
'the commercial organization is am-।
ply financed I »r the next three years.
Prior to inauguration of the cam-
; paign announ<*einent was made that
$50000 was the mark set. This was
I “campaign talk” designed to im-
{ press workers with the size of the job
confronting them. The real goal was:
$30000 and the fund was less than
$2500 short Saturday no»m. and will
be considerabjx beyond before the
; teams close their accounts Wednes-
day.
Two ••Generals’* Xppointed.
j Thorough organization was re-'
•sponsible primarily C>r the accom-
; plishment. For two or three weeks
bet ore the active canvass was launch- .
J ed directors of th^ Chamber <»f Com-
merce and those who had been com-
I missioned to help them in the under-
j taking had been at w.»rk on the
; problem of perfecting an organiza-
tion that wouhl push the move-
ment without faltering. Two ‘gen-
erals.” J. \ . Hucker and Herbert J.
Hayes wore appointed to shoulder
the big responsibilit > of the ram-
• paign. Each “general built up a
force ' >f seventy-five workers divided
into fifteen teams each team having
a captain. Those tvv» sid«;< were
I designated as the right v. mg and
j left wing and formed a < ombined
; working force having a strength of
150.
In addition to the valiant service
’rendered by members of the tw<»
I wings directors ?jf the chamber of
’ Commerce forming a ”fl) ing squad-
ron” solicited diligicntlj and helped
' swell the total materially.
As evidence of the appreciation of
: the result of the campaign. Presi-
dent Weakley of the chamber of
1 Commerce made the following state-
| ment Saturday night:
Weakley Thanks Worker*..
“I wish to take this occasion tn!
thank the active men among the (
directors and the business men < f
.the city who carried forward thia
public service with such loyalty and
• devotion and to thank the business
men of the city who have allied
। themselves with the organization for
1 their evidence of public spirit and
.their appreciation of the work done
in the past by the Chamber of Cum-
' merce. 1
“In this same connection 1 wish
to say to the public generally that
fnr the first three days of next week
Monday Tuesday and W’ednesdav
the campaign for now members will
j be continued and I desire to ask all ;
1 business and professional men who
have not yet allied themselves with
the organization not to wait for the
soliciting committee tn come to thorn
' but write or telephone the offi< e and i
we will send a messenger to them
' with the necessary membership I
! blank. ....
“Now is the tim^ for all of th^ 1
business interests of San Antonio to
get together and work together fori
a greater city.”
Perhaps the greatest interest of the
campaign centered around the race (
between Team No. 1. of the right
wing captained bx- Mayor Clinton
G. Brown and Team No. 2.0 f the left
wing under the leadership of “Cap- ;
j
(Continued on Next Page.) ]
SAN ANTONIO. TEXAS. SUNDAY. FEBRUARY 13. 1916
TAMPICO HAS WORLD S I
GREATEST OIL WELL'
Gusher There Is Reported to
i Exceed Anything Brought in
to Date in That Field.
The greatest oil well in the world
j has just been brought in at Tam-
pico Mexico according to a report
! received here Saturday. It is re-
ported that the oil gushed from the
well with such force as to tear out
the eight-inch casing and to de-
molish the derrick. The stream of
oil was thrown several hundred feet
lin the air by the tremendous pres-
sure. Efforts to cap the well so far
have been unavailing according to
I the report received here.
RESOLUTION ASKS
NEUTRAL CONFERENCE
Clark of Florida Presents First
Official Peace Proposal
in the House.
’ WASHINGTON. D. C.. l>b. 12.-
The first official steps toward call-
ing a conference of neutral nations
fur the purpose of urging peace
1 pon the warring nations of Europe
and defining .he rights and immu-
i.ities of neutrals during the con-
tinuance of hostilities lias been tak-
► n at the instance of Representative
! Frank dark of Florida.
A resolution Introduced by Mr.
(’lark after declaring the absolute
neutrality of the American people
their devotion to peace and their
desire that “in the interests of hu-
manity and civilization the war may
■ be brought to an end at as early a
day as possible in a manner which
v iil be honorable to each and all
! the contending parties" goes on to
1 provide:
"That with a view to seeking such
an honorable termination of hostili-
ties. the president of the United
States be and he hereby is. author-
ized and requested to invite the su-
i rcme magnate or ruler of each and
every nation of the earth not en-
raged in the present war and like
the United States neutral ns be-
iween the contending parties to
■ send two representatwes each to a
< engross of neutral nations to be
’•eld at the city of Washington D.
(’.. United States of America at
sveh time as the president may
name to take counsel with each
‘ other and consider in what manner
the neutral nations may bo of ser-
vice in bringing the war to an end
and restoring peace to the distress-
ed lands of our brothers across the
f-eas and for the further purpose of
taking counsel togoth« r in order to
agree upon and define the right* or
citizens of neutral nations upon the
high seas during the continuance
1 of hostilities should their efforts to
secure pea<e prove unavailing.’'
To carry out the purposes of the
1 esolution the president 1? author-
ized to appoint two representatives
of the United States and $25000 is
appropriated for their expenses.
In presenting his resolution to the
House Mr. U’nrl: asked unanimous
< onsent for hs immediate considera-
tion. Such a< tion was blocked by
objection of Mr. Mann upon whose
motion the resolution was sent tu
the committee on foreign affairs.
CONSIDER LUSITANIA CASE
Oflk-iul.’ in B rlin Hcccive \notlicr
Message I'nmi Beinslorff.
I
BEBI.LX. E-b. 12. Dr. Albert.
Zimmerman under secretarx for
foreign affairs and Count Mmttegc-•
las. head of the American section I
of the foreign office conferred to-1
dav on Count Von Bcrnstorff's latest I
message in the Lusitania negotia-1
tion.
Count Von Jagiar. secretary for
foreign affairs received the message j
this morning. Although Dr. Zitn-
merman was quoted as saying that
the situation was ta wi •* bh . an air I
of pessimism was apparent about!
the foreign office.
WASinNGWI. D. C.. Feb. 12
The note mentioned in the above
dispatch is presumed to be that of I
last Tuesday In which Fount von
Bernstorff asked approval of slight I
changes in the wording of the Lusi- ;
tanin proposals. Officials of the :
German embassy here tonight said i
there was no reason for pessimism.
The general expectation is that the [
suggested changes will he approved j
MAY KNOW OF THEFT I
Postal \uthoritles Cause Detention
of Arkansan at Clarksville.
FORT SMITH. Ark. I'eb. 12.—1
John Ernest of (’larksville. was
lodged !n jail here today by the I
United States authorities charged
with knowledge of the theft of
*6500 from the postoffiee at ('larks-।
viile. two years ago. James L. •
Sharum former deputy postmaster
at Clarksville was convicted and is
serving three years in the peniten-’
tlary for the robbery.
LIBERATED.’THEN DIES
Convict Had Just I'inixlicd Sentence
V hrn He Was Stricken. j.
M ALESTER. Okla.. Feb. 12.
Within two hours of the time he was
liberated after serving two years for ; ;
larency Heitor Hawkins. Muskogee*'
county convict died In the state pen-11
itentiary this afternoon of heart di-p
sense.
"Take me outside to die.” Hawkins -
•ried to fellow prisoners when siezed I (
vith pain. Before help could be given |
he was dead. <
$60000000 OF GERMAN CAPITAL RUSTING
Five German ships the prides of
e Kaiser’s merchant marine pho-
graphed where they have lain
istlng in the port of New York
ace the British cruisers closed the
POLICE SEEK CHEF
ON POISON CHARGE
Chicago Officer Believes At-
tempt Made on Lives of
Archbishop and Party.
! riHCAGO 111. Feb. 12—Jean
! ('rones or Chrones. assistant chef
! at the University Club was hunted
fruitlessly today by the police of
I Chicago and St. Louis at the request
of club officials who believe that he
had made a deliberate attempt ^to
poison the several hundred guests at
the banquet tendered Anhbishop
George W. Mundelein who came
■ from Brooklyn only three days ago
and took up his new duties at the
! head of the Chicago diocese. The
net for Crones was extended to St.
Louis fur the reason that .the man
I came from that city four years ago.
ITospeet of a federal investlga-
i tion of the affair was indicated l»y
I a visit of Hinton G. Clabangh. head
; of the local Department of Investi-
' gallon of the Department of Jus-
I tice and his assistant to the
' Prairie '• nue room ot the suspect-
ied man late today. Mr. Clabaugh
was uncommunicative lmw< ver as
he left ’.he poison-slocked room.
The archbishop was not affected
I by the poisoned soup but several of
•lie others who were made violently
; ill. were far from well today . Among
ithe latter was Judge John I’. Mc-
Goorty of the Circuit Court who
has been unable to eat since the
i 1 anquet was served.
Monsignor Francis C. Kelley pres-
j ’ent of the Cathoik* Church Ex’i’n-
■ sion Socjetv. was one of the most
| seriously affected. He had not rc-
I covered today but appeared pale
an<l worn at the University <’lub of
I which he Is a resident member.
i ’rone« a ording to Mat ag< r
Harry J. Doh< rt\. of the University
Club.’had a small part in compound-
ling the soup which was served to
tie banqin’ers. This part consist-
ed in making balls of sausage and
pressed chicken for us** in ’he fla-
voring. It is M 1 Dohertys idea
that Crore*' put into cm h of these
small particl»” . the poison w hich af- I
fected those who took M and the I
reason that more of the diners was
not affected wa« that th** man didn t
have tinu to complete his work.
-♦♦♦• —
CALL ALL SINGLE MEN
King of Knglaml I Nucctcd xmn to
l**uc Prac’ninalion.
TJ>ND<»N. Uh. 12 ’l’he Centra’.
News announces it ha- information
that the kit g will ssu< a proclama-
tion next week calling all single
men to the < olm s
On Februii' 3. King George |
signed a pro. lamatiiHi fixing Fcbru- ।
arv 1” as the date on which th*
milita-v service a< t shall be r< gard- i
ed as in force. All single men be- I
tween th* ages of 19 and 4 1 "ho j
?re not ex<**pt’ 1 under the a-t.
were given until March 2 to attest.
-♦♦♦- —
FIND BODY IN MINE
I all Down M»ar lonal Shaft kills'
Joplin Dairyman.
JOPLIN. M" . Fob. 12. The body)
<f Joseph Hudson. :• prominent |
dairyman was feun-’ in an a’»an I
doned mine heu* todax Hudson ।
hi d been missing a week. Search- ’
ing parties I dragged many old]
shafts for ’ body. It is believed
t’ at bo slipped and foil into the
shaft.
-♦♦♦- — —
Sponsor* for War < ilic*.
VIENNA. I’eb. 12 ’ Via Berlin
Wireless.’ The mayor <»f Vienna
it a n.eoting of th** m ini* ipality t<»-
!a*- anno need th.it Germany will
ake sponsorship of <»ne Ausiro-Hun.
xarlan < ity •lamaged by war while*]
Austria and Hungary w ill ea< h take
iponsorship for one German < ity
Germany < hose Gorlzla: Austria ;
•hose < ’rtelsburg and Hungary Gcr-
lauen.
seas to German ships in August.
1914 It is estimated that over
$60000000 in German ships. in-
cluding the Vaderland the world’s
largest ami most luxurious ship ar •
RUSSIANS ARE UNITED
Czar Kerch os Officials of Towi
• C ouncils at Army Headquarters.
PETROGRAD. Feb. 12. The Rus
" sian army at the front and the Rus
slan nation are united. This is th*
conclusion to be drawn from ar
audience given by the czar to the
• president of the Union of Zemstvo!
and town councils. M. Lvoff. am
the mayor of Moscow. M. Chelknoft
'l’he unity was made especially evi
dent by a statement made by Gen-
eral Alexieff chief of the genera
staff at the czar's headquarters al
1 a dinner given by him to the nier
. named. He declared that everything
; had been done by those unions ir
H support of the war and it had giver
f|the army the conviction that it hat
t ithe nation behind it.
| Officials at the czar's headquarter!
c have now granted the unions th»
right to send directly to the army
t ] trainloads of munitions and clothe:
j• in railway carriages bearing th<
union’s special marks wUhout hav
ing to apply to various ministerla
‘ departments for consent to do so
. M. Lvoff and M. Chelnokoff dedarec
* to a representative of the Russky
Slovo that they returned from theh
। visit encouraged by the appreciation
and support shown them by the
czar's high military commanders.
ASK AID FOR FARMERS
Tcxa.s Union Officials Address Uon-
grrssioual Ikdegadon on <'rrdiK.
| WASHINGTON. I). C.. Feb. 12.
J H. N. Pope president of the Texas
. i Farmers' Union and A. Davis
*A. F. Dornblazer and R. B. Ridg-
"ay lor the same organization ad-
. dressed members of the Texas dele-
! ration today in Representative
j Henry's office in an effort to have
th» delegation support proposed ru-
; ral < redits legislation. The Farm-
’ i rs’ Union representatives will pre-
I pare amendments to the bill to be
| reported in a few days providing
more extensive government aid for
: farmers. Final action " ill bp de-
I tt rmiiK d at another meu: ing to be
•held Monday.
SUNDAY TO BE COLDER
Extnyne Temperature?- \rc Xot lA-
|»cct<*d. Ilouncr.
Generally ladder and unsettled
conditions is the "'ather prediction
; f >r Sunday. The vvt ather man would
not say Saturday night just ho"
much ciddvr h "ill he. but extreme
tempi iaturi s are not expected.
The wind which game*! a maxi-
mum velocity of 3o miles an houi
late Saturday aLtirnoon was expect-
ed to die down in the course of the
night and high winds were not ex-
P» ted for Sunday.
FOR AIR MAIL SERVICE
Senator Sheppard IntriMiuces Bill to
I inancc Experiment-.
WASHINGTON. D. <'.. Feb. 12.—
I Representative Buchanan introduc-
jed a bill todav appropriating $75-
; 000 each for po«toffice buildings at
] Georgetown and Taylor. Sites for
.the buildings have already been
i purchased. Senator Sheppard would
। make possible a continiiiition of
aeroplane mail delivery experiments
; by the postoffici department and he
• •.tn- tn-'a ». | on.H priating
0(»0 f<>r such a purpose.
AID FOR COMMISSIONS
' Foun(!a r x mu! Rio Grande Projects
Ccntinucd in ^hc'mard Bill.
WA*nHNGT<>N. D. <’. Fc’u 12.--
’ cnaMe to Intet national Round-
] ..r\ Uornm:s<ioii o»* the United
States and Mexiio to «ontiniie its
• । rk. Senator Sheppard today in-
troduced a bill appiopriating $4 8.-
52. This appropriation will also
allow t»'C Rio Grande water com-
mission to continue its work of in-
vestigation with reference to pre-
verting floods anu fixing a perman-
ent channel.
-♦♦♦•
LcgMHtor End* Own Life.
CHARLESTON. S. C. Feb 12
11! health led Moultrie J. Clement
a lawyer and member of the Legis-
lature. to take his life at his homo
at Clementina Springs today.
FIFTY-SIX PACES TODAY
indefinately tied up in New York
r I harbor costing hundreds of thou-
• sands in up-keep alone while bring-
s I ing absolutely no return to their
r : owners.
RUSSIANS CAPTURE
DOMINATING HEIGHT
.New Offensive Against Aus-
trians Gaining Momentum
in Tsebrcff Region.
LDNDoN. Feb. 12 For an entire
day the Rushans and Austrians
grappled up and down the sldpes of
a dominating height in the Tse-
broff region w here the new Russian
offensive is gaining momentum. At
the end of the day the height was
In the hands of the Russians. Dead
blanketed the ridges leading up to
i the crest.
| The fight for this important height
lis described in the official state-
ment received here tonight from
Petrograd which also reports the
capture of the village of Garhoun-
ovka on the northern font. Sharp
fighting is taking place in many
sectors of this front and especially
in the Riga sector near the Dvina
and toward Lake Sventon.
The full weight of the Russians*
renewed activity however. Is thrown
against the oval in the south. Here
the Russians are pressing their sue-
I cess in the Uszieczko district where
jth*\v recently captured a bridge-
। head on the Dneister. in the Tse-
br« ff region and a’ong the Strypa.
FORTRESS INSPECTED
BY THE PRESIDENT
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson Visit
Newport News and Old
Point Comfort.
NEWPORT NEWS Va Feb. 12.
— President and Mrs. Wilson ac-
companied by Dr. Cary T. Grayson
the president's physician and two
secret service men. arrived here’his
afternoon aboard the yacht May-
flower.
After spending an hour inspecting
Fortress Monroe they boarded a
motor launch and witnessed the
launching of the Standard oil Cem-
pany steamer Charles Pratt at the i
Newport News Ship Yard. Going i
ashore at Old Point Comfort. Mr. j
and Mrs. Wilson spent an hour
walking and again boarded the May- ।
flower.
It is expected that the pTty will
sail again tomorrow afternoon about
five o'clock. Their program for to-
morrow w »s kept secret.
The visit to Fortress Monroe was
purely informal at the request of
the pres’dert. The party viewed’
thet fortifications unattended tx-l
cept by the commandant Colonel I
Haynes. Because the presidential
flag wes not displayed when the ।
May flower entered the roads no I
salute was fired.
ROBBERS MISS $20000
Safe B|ovvrr«« in Ai’kansn- Dynamited
Wrong Strong Box.
FT. SMITH. Ark.. Ft : . 12. Safe
robbers overlooked $20000 of the
Centra) Coal and (’’ke rumpr.ny "f
Kansas <’lty Mo. when they dyna-
inited the vault instead of a safe in j
the bank of Hartford at Hartford |
today . The vault was empty the ।
money in the safe "a - sent here to
pay the company'* coal miners. The
safe in the post office was dynamited.
It. 100. was empty.
ASKS LIBERTY OF PRESS
KrictLMag CommßP'c \Lo Would
Lift Ban on Meetings.
BERLIN. Feb 12 The budget | '
committee of the Reichstag today!
adopted resolutions asking the gov-.
prnment to remove restrictions of j
the liberty < f the pres s and tn re-I
i*ind its prohibition of public meet-j
ings.
-PRICE. FIVE CENTS.
rams sus
U.S.IS BOSSES
OF LARGE SUMS
Governor of Canal Zone De-
clares Commission Pays
Too Mucn for Land.
SHIPPING ALSO INJURED
He Urges New Legislation
Which Will Eliminate Al-
leged Graft in Panama.
WASHIGTON D. U.. Feb. 12. —
Major General George W. Goethals
today charged that the United
States is being r bbed” between
$1600U000 and $17.00u000 through
'and deals in the Panama canal zone.
He laid before the House Interstate
Commerce Commission information
showing that since 1903 this coun-
try has been called upon to pay be-
tween $17.1’00000 and $18000000
for lands worth less than $1000000
the bind deal*’ at Panama have been
handled through a joint land com-
mission. comprising two representa-
tives of the United States and two
representatives of the Panama re-
publtc. Under the treaty between
the United States and Panama
which ceded the canal zone to this
country this land commission has
had exclusive authority to settle the
'and claims of private persons whose
property has l»een taken over in
connection with the building of the
canal. General Govthals told the
I committee that a provision in the
treaty prescribing that lands should
be paid for on the basis of the valu-
ation on which the treaty had been
consummated had been totally dis-
regarded and the land commission
had awarded vast sums for land
which a few \ears ago was worth
practically nothing.
Would End Uommis'Mon.
General Goethals demanded legis-
lation which would terminate the
activities of the joint land commis-
sion and which would prevent it
from paying enormously increased
values for land or improvements.
After explaining the treaty pro-
visions General Goethals said:
“What the treaty also provides is
that the variation of lands taken un-
der the treaty shall he as of 1903 at
the time the treaty was consummat-
ed. so as to avoid the traffic in
lands for the purpose of exploiting
the government. The joint land
commission's —we have had several
of them have taken the ground that A
we are a big republic and they are
rather poor and we should not be
too hard on them and that w-e
should pay liberally for their ’ends.
”lt is rather hard to stay there
and see our government robbed the
way it has been in the past.”
General Goethals told the com-
mittee of various instances where
land values were arbitrarily in-
creased by claimants before the
commission.
Tells of Several Cases.
He said that in one case land
which cost $1 a hectare in 1902 and
which the owners agreed to sell to
the government for $5 a hectare was
awarded $25 a hectare by the joint
land commission.
In another case General Goethals
said the commission awarded $360.-
000 for land which was originally
purchased for $1500.
“They to'd me when I was on the
isthmus.” remarked ('hairman Adam-
son. “that the commision would
settle with a squatter and then he
would g'» out and squat in another
place and they would have to set-
tle with him again."
“Yes. sir. that is right.’* said
General Goethals.
Representative Stephens of Ne-
braska. wanted to know if the gov-
ernment at this rate was supposed
to pay for all of the land in the ten
mile strip acquired for the Pana-
ama canal.
“Not al' the inland within the
ten mile strip.” said General Goeth-
als. “but ail the privately owned
land that the government needs to
acquire And if the < laims were
held down t • the valuation in 1901
they would not aggregate $1000.-
000 but they now aggregate some-
thing like $ 1 T.v00.000 or $18000-
000.
'lore >craps of Pa|M*r.
’And the joint land commission is
ignoring the treaty and the agree-
ments that were made by the origins’
owners as mere scraps of paper?”
demanded Representative Sims of
Ten nessoe.
That is right yes sir” replied
General Goethals.
“And the treaty” ' asked Chair-
man Adamson.
fes. sir. said General Goethals
emphatically.
■lf it is contemplated securing
land outside of the canaf zone.” satd
Representative Esch <>f Wisconsin
speaking of plans for additional land
at Panama ter fortifications “does
the join: land commissi »r havejuris-
diction to secure those 'inds?”
“This commission.' said General
Goethals. his jurisdiction not only
i-»f the<e lands but ! understand from
lawyers that iht provision is broail
enough so that anybody who is
lamage 1 within the limits of the
cone »an appeal f»r the adjudica-
tion *»f his claim l » the land • om-
mission."
shinpipg Al*o Injurctl.
Suppose the I n i is outside of
'•• zone.'" asked Representative
Esch
'But it is not a question of land
ilone.” s^td Genera! Goethals. "It
< c > aestion <if injury t » shipping.
'r Instance so we are \ e r y anxious
o have the treaty modified and this
*rovision go\”rnin^ th commission
>**rire’y e’iminated and have a
•ourt established to determine all
laims for damages
G v^rnor Goethals said that in
lis last annual report he had in-
luded a statement showing that tho
■ommission was awarding c!aims ’O
versons who had no lega' title to ’he
and they were turning wer to tho
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Diehl, Charles S. & Beach, Harrison L. The San Antonio Light (San Antonio, Tex.), Vol. 36, No. 25, Ed. 1 Sunday, February 13, 1916, newspaper, February 13, 1916; San Antonio, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1601375/m1/1/: accessed August 15, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; .