St. Louis Post-Dispatch
October 17, 1914

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The War in Kinemacolors! reproduced in As gripping as moving pictures are the paintings of stirring episodes of the ent conflict made by famous artists and pres- ie & a Oe, eee a a oe “J = a ys - _ , . x a ae po? ‘S, f ie oe ST.LOUIS. POST-DISPATCH Only Evening Paper in St. Louis With Associated Press News Service. EDITION VOL. 67. NO. 58. ST. LOUIS, SATURDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 17, 1914—10 PAGES. PRICE ONE CENT. SPORTS Next Sunday’s Post-Dispatch Magazine CRITICAL BATTLE IN PROGRESS 100 MILES FROM LON 7 ’ Fighting Reaches as Far West as Dunkirk on the ( : FRENGH AND Bil YOAKUM TELLS HOW ROCK ISLAND LUST $7,000,000 IN FRISCO Testifies Before Commerce Commission He and Associates Bought Back at $37.50 a Share From Reid Stock Which Was Sold at $61.50 .— Bought C. & A. Control Whilé Harriman Was Absent. / WASHINGTON; Oct. 17.—B. F. Yoakum, testifying before the Interstate Commerce Commission today in its investigation of financial transactions of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Rail- way, told how the Rock Island acquired the Frisco Railroad and then sold it back at a loss which he estimated at $7,500,000. Tells of Loss of $7,500,000. “The loss to the Rock island Railway through its purchase and subsequent sale of the stock of the Frisco lines was the difference between $61.50 and $37.50 a share, according to B. F. Yoakum of New York, who conducted the negotia- tions for the Frisco stockholders. The total amount of actual loss, Yoakum thought, was about $7,500,000. Yoakum, always actively connected with the Frisco lines, became a mem- ber of the various Rock Island boards of directors wher the Frisco stock was acquired by the Rovk Island. He said that while the control of the Frisco was in the Rock Island, competition between the two lines did not cease. “Did you conduct the negotiations for the repurchase of the Frisco stock?’ asked Folk. “Yes, I did.”’ “What was the reason for the repur- chase?” “Well, I believed in the Frisco, and believe in it yet. I dealt with D. G. Reid, principally. We agreed on a price of $37.50 a share and my associa- ates and I bought. We paid for it in cash. Personally I took about 30,000 shares.” “Did you get the actual stock when you paid your money?’ asked Mr. Folk. Yoakum Got the Real Stuff. “You bet I did,” replied Yoakum. “I got the real stuff. I was not a member of the Board of Directors of the Rock Island Co. of New Jersey when the loan of $7,500,000 was au- thorized. The dissolution between the Rock Island and Frisco was entirely friendly and it resulted, of course, in a dissolution of other common inter- ests.” Discussing the acquisition by the Rock Island of the Chicago & Alton road, Yoakum said he participated in that purchase, acting as one of the directors of the Rock Island Railway. “I purchased much of the Alton stock in my name through six or seven brokers,” he said. “Other blocks of the stock were purchased in the names of W. D. Leeds and William H. Moore. To get a majority of about 200,000 shares of the railroad property is a pretty good job. We conducted it in the only way it could be con¢ ducted. Of course we had to keep the matter as quiet as possible.” “Was not BE. H. Harriman in con- trol of the Alton at that time?” asked in Burope then?” suggested Folk. “Was that the reason you were quietly purchasing the property?” “Well,” said Yoakum, smiling, “it was a propitious time to make the purchase. Mr. Harriman happened to be in Burope and the Rock Island wanted control of the property and it simply did not wait for Mr. Har- riman to return.” Yoakum explained that he and Messrs. Reid, Leeds and William H. Moore became members of the Alton beard and also members of the Chi- cago & Bastern lilinois board because, all the properties were controlled by the same interests. Got Centro! of Coal Fields, The Rock Island purchased contro} of the Deering Coal Co. and of the ‘indiana Fuel Co. and perhaps some ether coal companies, Yoakum ex- plained, because it was regarded as good policy to obtain control of what were the largest fuel fields 'n the Middle West. Several years later, tho witness further explained, it was re- garded as equally good policy, ou ac- count of the dissolution of the several railway \interests to dispose of the Rock Island's Interests in the coal ‘Do you consider governmental! railroads and that it would be much better for Government regulation to be absolute than-for nobody to know just what the situation is. The pres- ent national administration has done some good work, especially in the en- actment of currency legislation and in its authorization of Government railroads in Alaska.” Folk asked Yoakum to what he at- tributed the wrecking of the Rock Island. Calis Road Fine Property. “I do not use the term ‘wrecking’ in connection with the Rock Island,” re- plied Yoakum. “I consider the Rock Island one of the finest railroad prop- erties in ..e United States today. It traverses a great territory, it has won- derful terminals and it is everything a railroad ought to be. I can put it fio stronger than that.”’ Folk called Yoakum’s attention to re- ports by experts which indicated that the physical condition of the Rock Island property was bad. “I know nothing personally of the physical condition of the property now,” said Yoakum, “‘ because I have not been over the lines for several years, but the property, generally speaking, is just as fine as I have described.”’ Folk inquired why the system had got- ten into so serious a tangle of financial difficulties and wanted to know if it were not because of an over-issuance of securities. “I am not capable of answering that question,”’ replied Yoakum. “I do not know enough about the present condi- tion.” George G. McMurty of New York, a director of the Rock Island operating Company, and of the New Jersey hold- ing company of the Rock Island, gave testimony tending to ‘show that the board of directors practicaVy was dom- inated by Daniel G. Retd. The witness said he knew personally very little concerning the financial op- erations of the several companies. Asked about specific transactions—including the Frisco deal and the payments of money to Directors Jackson and Cable, for which no explanation had beep giv- en, the witness said he could remem- ber nothing about those matters. “I didn’t have time to go into such details,”’ said he. On cross-examination, Mr. McMurtry Continued on Page 2, Column 6. eee Africa, the Richest Colonia! Prize of the War ss —_— * = ——_ - ; ‘ | . ~ ~-« ows 4 » -z° : si vet sepeotese-o> so oe os tesbees i 4 | we Ste : os oe 7 > —— a LLL LL —— eo - oe —_-— | HE map of Africa is an inter- esting subject of study now I for two reasons. First, be- cause the war has been carried into Africa literally and a number of Af- rican colonies, particularly those owned by Great Britain, Germany and Portugal have been the scenes of mil- itary movements. Secend, because the partition of Africa and the small part which Germany, newest of mod- ern nations, obtafned in that parti- tion,, were among the underlying causes of the war. Italy, Belgium and Portugal each obtained more desirable allotments than Germany, not to mention the great British and French colonies. Morocco, which nearly provoked a European conflict in 1911, has since that time been officially under French influence. Should Germany win a decisive victory in the war, it and the French colony of Algeria un- doubtedly would become German pos- sessions. It is also within the bounds of probability that Germany would elect to take all the possessions of the allies in Africa. A glance at the map will show what this would mean to the Dark Continent. Inasmuch as Portugal, through her alliance with England, probably will be plunged in a few days into the great conflict now raging, it can be seen that it is pos- sible, in the event of German victory, that all nations but Haly and Ger- many will be swept out of Afric. Italy, too, may go, if she eventually should align herself against the Triple Alliance. BOY, 14, FALLS 60 FEET AND IS KILLED INSTANTLY Fred Elliott, 14 years old, of 4310 North Grand avenue, was instantly killed at 1:30 p. m. today when he fell 60 feet to the ground from the top of a new theater being .constructed at Grand and Florissant avenues, where he was playing with two com- panions, Henry Schaffner of 3723 Lee avenue, and Frank Hesslock, of 4254 |\Gano avenue. Beat ’em All Again ——— = / On Friday of this week the POST-DISPATCH, for the 67th time this year, carried as much or more display adver- tising from the St. Louis merchants than all four of the other St. Louis papers combined on the same da other metropolitan newspaper in the United Stated so far - Outolasses all competition as does the POST-DISPATCH in its field. The Friday measurements were— Post-Dispatch alone ..93 columns All 4 of its competitors, Globe-Democrat, Republic, Times and Star, combined... 92 columns That this remarkable evidence of supremacy is ‘not unusual, but is a regular weekly achievement, is shown by the fact that on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this week the POST-DISPATCH carried 236 columns of the St. Louis merchants’ advertising, while its three nearest competitors carried only 192 columns. The reason for this preference is obvious—RESULTS. St. Louis’ ONE BIG Newspaper. Average circulation first nine months 1914: ily (except Sunday), 176,659 -.- 313,575 First in Everything, =e ee tee a : ~ ~ “ - —— Ae ee A A SE eR me - ———— EE : | : \ > GERMON —— Hees BriTish — Baas FRENCH —— Zz ITALIAN —— PORTUGESE — BELGIAN —— Sees tn =>. CONVICT KILLS JARD AND FLEES, PLIRSUIED BY POSSES Fugitive From California Prison, Who Is Armed, Is Chased by Bloodhounds. FOLSOM, Cal., Oct. 17.—Posses searched ‘the country surrounding Fol- som State Prison today for Frank Creeks) who escaped last night in an outbreak which cost the lives of his cell- mate, Harold Flash, and J. B. Drury, a sergeant of the guard, and resulted in serious injury to two prison guards. Warden Jonn Smith, in charge of the manhunt, is using bloodhounds, and as they were put on a warm trail, it is believed the fugitive soon will be cap- tured. Creeks, if he can shake off the dogs, may be able to give his pursuers @ difficult chase. He is armed, and it is thought that he will fight to the last. Creeks, a life-termer, and Flash, who was serving a 2-year term for robbery, were the only prisoners concerned in the outbreak. ‘ They had obtained a knife, a dumb- bell to be used as a bludgeon, and a piece of metal to unlock the door of their cell Gaining the yard, they crouched behind a door leading into the main corridor of the prison, and awaited the approach of Sergeant Drury and Guard Kerr. When the two, bearing four weapons for the guards inside, entered, they left the outer door unlocked. As the inner door,;swung to, the convicts leaped upon Drury fell with three knife CLOUDS TO LIFT TODAY; FAIR TOMORROW THE DREADNAUGHT St LOUIS 1S AFTER THE SUBMARINE. HOWE. ity: afternoon; morrow; temperature. east portion. bly showers tonight. fore- St. Louis and vicin- Clearing weather late this fair tonight and to- not much change in Missouri—Gener- ally fair tonight and tomorrow, preceded by un- settled weather in lllinow — partly cloudy tonight and tomorrow; proba- in northeast portion this afternoon or The rainfall in the last 24 hours was 1.7% inches. Since the present rainy spell started the fall has been 3.79 inches. body of the Sergeant, the two con- victs started for the outer yard.* Kerr held the door until the muzzle of one of the guns was thrust into his stomach, and then retreated. The convicts rushed out, and immedi- ately Kerr opened fire. At the first shot Fiash fell with a bullet through the back of his head. Almost at the same moment Guard Maher, stationed at one. corner of the yard, emptied his gun at Creeks, who, however, had wounded the guard in the leg. Before another guard could interfere with his progress Creeks escaped. Brother of Sir Edward Grey Is Captured by Germans BERLIN, Oct. 17.—Col. Grey, brother TAFTS RETURN 10 WASHINGTON FOR SON'S WEDDING Robert Taft Today Will Marry Miss Martha A. Bowers, Late Solicitor’s Daughter. WASHINGTON, Oct. 17.~The wedding today of Robert A. Taft, son of former President and Mrs. William Howard Taft, and Miss Martha A. Bowers, daughter of the late Lloyd W. Bowers, Solicitor-General during part of the Taft administration. was of absorbing inter- est to official and diplomatic society. The former President and Mrs. Taft arrived in Washington for the mar- riage, with Mr. and Mrs. Henry W. Taft, Horace Taft, Miss Louis Taft, Charlies P. Taft J1. and Mra. John Hays Hammond. The ceremony was to be performed at St. John’s Episcopal Church at noon, Rev. Roland Cotton Smith officiating. A license had been obtained by young Taft in person. The marriage today is the culmination of a romance dating back several years. Miss Bowers and Miss Helen Taft be- came intimate friends during the Taft administration. An attachment soon sprang up between the former and young Rebert Taft and they were seen fre-] quently in each other's company. When the former President and Mrs. Taft reached their rooms at a leading hotel they found them filled with flow- with Mrs. next possession. The }rench and British troops are reported as cut on all sides, particularly around Ypres (18 miles northeast Lille). Spats é t* a greetings to Mrs. Taft. Mr. and} 0g VE De @ Wenneny ee ee ee ee ee ae TROOPS HEMIMED IN NYPRES: REGION All-Night Rain Drenches Battlefields. in France, Hampering Operations q Along 360-Mile Front—French. Gain Ground on Both Wings— Germans Occupied Ostend Thurs- day. he By ASSOCIATED PRESS. BERLIN, Oct. 17, by Wireless to Sayville, L, 1—According to announcement made in Berlin, German troops in the vicinity of- Ostend have reached the North Sea and fighting is going on as far~ to the west as Dunkirk (a fortified town of 50,000 or more on the Straits of Dover, 40 miles northwest of Lille, and the northernmost. town of France). German | Belgium today appears td be almost completely in # of * are Se * ve: ri. ape “4 ro) ie ie German headquarters in Berlin expressed the belief that lat numbers of Belgian soldiers, fleeing before the Germans, have c: off their uniforms and put on civilian clothes, preferring to be) _ captured in this attire. That the men composing the garrison ati.’ wees % Pe Sse f ie See a enige Oe : 3 eo" 7 2 ris Antwerp fled in a great hurry is proved by the quantities of cast =—ssé&G off uniforms, especially of the British Royal Naval division, found — ‘é by the German soldiers. Antwerp suffered little by the bombardment. The people are now quiet and glad that the days of terror are over. A mob al- ready had begun plundering the eity before the Germans arrived. All Night Rains Drench Battlefields; . French Troops Gain on Both PARIS, Oct: 17—A steady downpour of rain last night ’ drenched the fields of battle. The discomforts of the troops have been added to and the difficulties of operations have increased. — 5 With the resumption of fighting today interest centers on allies’ left wing. : The official statement given out at the French War Office ti afternoon is as follows: | 5: In Belgium, the German troops occupying Belgium, have not | crossed the line running from Ostend to Thourout to Roulers to | Menin. There is relative quiet along the greater part of the front. { On our left wing there has been no change. In the region of {| Ypres, on the right bank of the Lys, the allied troops have occupied © Fleurbaix, as well as the immediate approaches to Armentieres. In the region of Arras and also in the vicinity of St. Mihiel we | have continued to gain ground. The following _official communication was issued last evening: On our left g the action continues vigorously. Everywhere { we have held our own. At certain points we have gained ground, { "and have occupied Laventie, at the east of Eastaires, in the dire | tion of Lille. - There is no important incident to mention on the other parts of J} the front, except an unsuccessful attack by the Germans in the re gion »f Malancourt, northwest of Verdun. =. Experts See No Chance of Turning the Allies. el The brevity of the recent official communications is being cc t on in Paris today and the fact that fighting has been going on as is making the people of the city ask if the present comparative is not the lull preceding the storm. eel The joining of the barrier between the coast of Ypres to that of the existing front has made it impossible, In*the judgment of French military the allies t 3 4 et ’ «ie Ke “ee rue 2 It will now be necessary for the Germans to attack : | attempt would a ; en es Ss - nd, $ ~~ re ~ that ee ed 2 om ~ oe. 4 re : Ss as es a Pie y ME en a FE ie ie * gxe ak a — = oak ‘ ‘ cg —. _ lea : Nig ee se — eh AD Sete b ag gp ee oe * oe oe gr Tang , e we = . a ™ = =~ « . ge x ~ ” we Thy Sus * = “ bis = = es 7 ee 7 4 . Ne as oe “age - 5 Ae; - ee or OB ; z KS Fe ORS PRS Be, pa oo fe Ne a ee y wo Dae 5 ray ie P ees . “Sey s *.