St. Louis Post-Dispatch
January 21, 1916

Historic newspapers carry the language, views and graphic reporting of their time, including racist content. They are shown to teen and adult profiles.

The text was read from the page scans by machine (OCR), so it has mistakes and its columns may run together. See the pages · About this title · At the Internet Archive

Page 1

: _ JOE WING PATTED ON BACK a < * Fea =] “ "* heart and above & vestpocket in whic ‘pst Friend.” Only Evening Paper m St. Louis With Associated Press News Service TT a VOL. 68. NO. 154. ST. LOUIS, FRIDAY EVENING, JANUARY 21, 1916—20 PAGES. PRICE ONE CENT { CHINESE WAS IN | HOLDUP F Otso Redon. IWledtifies Body -0s That of Man Who Drove Him Into Icebox. "Police Captain Saye if Other _ Would Follow His Example The body of Byron H. Fox, whom Joe Bins, a Chinese restaurant proprietor ot 2 South Twenty-first street, shot and | when Fox tried to: rob him at 12:45 this morning, was identified this afternoon by Otto Reden, saloon keeper, 1407 North King’s highway, as that of! bne of two men who drove him into his icebox and robbed fhe saloon of $11, Monday night. ven before Fox's previous record was known, Joe Hing was complimented and patted on the back by Capt. artin O’Brien, who praised his courage, and said that a few men like him. could do much to rid the city of criminals. Reden also identified Joseph Musso, 23 years old, a frequenter of missions and free lodging places, as the man who ac- companied Fox in Monday night’s rob- bery. Musso was arrested this morning at Ninth and Market streets, after po- licemen had,been told that he was a “pal” of Fox. He admitted knowing Fox, but denied having aided him in the Reden robbery. Joe Hing said he couid not identify Musso as the man who was with Fox at his place. Tells of Slaying Robber. Hing said he had bought a revolver last fall, by advice of a policeman, after an attempt was made to rob a restau- rant which he then conducted, at New- stead and St. Louis avenues. He told re- porters how he shot Fox. He said that he was alone, in his place when two men came in and ordered chop suey. He went to the icebox to get some meat when one of the men appeared behind him with a revolver | him to throw up his hands -teok his watch he cash register. and pursued eae fired at icin. The smaller the other ran into and_ escaped. tite Dies in Few Minutes. Policemen attracted by thé shots found the “little fellow’ gasping for breath in the front yard at 2035 Walnut street. He said that he was Byron H. Fox, 2% years old, of Salt Lake City, and became unconscious. He died a few minutes later in the operating room at the city two. te and w setters found in the pockets of the dead robber indicated that he was the son of a widow, Mrs. K. E, Fox of 652 Southwest Temple . street, Salt Lake City. She had writ- ten to him about her poverty and urged him to return home and go to work. In a telegram under date of Jan. 3 she requested him to raise $10 and come home, Other correspondence, including letters and post cards, showed that Fox had many girl friends. Lottie Grell of Clin- ton, Io., addressed him as “‘Best Friend ;’" “Annette” of Muscatine, Io., called him “Dear Friend;”’ Josephine Kraut of Du- buque, Io., wrote to him as her “‘Dear- There were cards from: “Miss "and “May Fry." Hing’s bullet struck Fox just below the the police found the stolen watch. The bullet algo pierced the edges of several small.kodak pictures of groups, the fea- tures of the persons being almost indis- tinguishable, and just missed a news- paper clipping of a poem entitled ‘“‘Some- one Cares.” The first stanza of the Arte isa ntment an eae Ga yon Tee tolling, praying. struggling at to know that é : — COOLER TONIGHT, SNOW LIKELY TOMORROW THE mines “yr td Bh ee PP PP | 10 a, a. mH. se em eeee ee & K4 Ay 4 taye abe Bile Yesterday's Tecaperatures. High, 53 at 4 p.m. Low, 30 at mid- night. Humidity at 7 a. m., yesterday, 72, per cent. At 7 a. m., today, 76 per cent. fore- for St. Louls and vi- cinity: Unset- tled and cooler tonight, probab- ly with rain, to- morrow rain ‘und snow and much colder; the lowest tem- perature tonight will be above the freezing point, fresh to strong, to shift- ing winds be- coming north- west. - Official THE KING OF HELLAS AGREES WITH SHERMAN. cast Missouri: Un- setled and cold- Aer tonight, prob- ably rain in east iin or snow and much colder, fresh to strong shifting winds, becoming northwest. Illinois: Rain tonight, somewhat colder in west portion; tomorrow rain and colder, possfbly snow in west portion; decidedly colder by Sunday. Stage of the river, 6.8 feet, a fall of .5. HARRY LEHR POURS TEA FOR ALLIED AMBULANCE CORPS Newport Fashion Leader Tried Driv- ing Red.Cross Auto, but It Kept Him Out Too Late. PARIS, Jan. 21.—Harry Lehr, once the leader of fashion in New York and Newport, is doing his bit for the allies by pouring tea at the American ambu- lance at Neuilly, and according to ex- pert testimony he does it with all the dash of a French ‘‘poilu’’ in a bayonet charge. Ever since he came to Paris, several! months ago, Lehr had been casting about valiantly to find some warlike work suitable to his peculiar tempera- ment. Becoming a foreign legionary was too muddy; the very thought of enlisting as an aviator made him digzy. He tried j driving an ambulance for a while, but gave it up because it kept him out too late at night. Hventually Stephen ~ Jack Dahigretr | who is attached to the American ambu- lafice, so the problem for Léhr by inventing a weekly official tea to be held there for the wounded. Mrs. Lehr is aiding him. EXPLORERS TO USE HYDROPLANE Oll Expert to Work Way 400 Miles Into Colombia, 8. A. PITTSBURG, Jan. 21.—Seventeen oll experts start from here next Tuesday for Colombia, South America, to explore in the interior of that country, which is said to be the rich- est in off in the world. According to the announcement made today the party will leave here on a special train for New Orleans and from there a yacht will take them to Barran- quilla, Colombia. A great hydro- aeroplane will then carry the ex- plorers 400 miles up the Magdalena River to the oil concessions of Rob- erto de Mares of Colombia, said to cover 5000 square miles. FINISHES RACE IN DOG'S PLACE Alaskan Makes 54-Mile Trip in 8 Hours, 14 Minutes. ANCHORAG Alaska, Jan. 21.—~ Taking the leader’s place in the har- by ness when Big Gray Hound collapsed, Frank Dixon dragged his dog team three blocks to the finish line early last night and won a 64-mile dog sled race from Anchorage to Old Knik and return. His time was 8 hours and 14 minutes. Walter Howard, the ‘favorite, was a close second. Albion Gustaffson, third, and William — ‘Greer, a poor fourth. GIRL WHO LOST HER ARMS SUES FOR $100,000 Marie Moentmann, Through Her Mother, Brings Action Against Bag Company. SHE JIS ALMOST WELL Expects to Be Discharged From Hospital Tomorrow—Nearly $2000 Raised for Her. Moentmann of 8410 Michigan avenue, the factory girl whose arms were cru&hed in a printing press at the plant of the Fulton Bag and Cotton Mills,’ Seventh and Poplar streets, Nov. 5, necessitating amputation, filed suit in the Circuit Court today against the company for $100,000 damages.’ As the girl is only 15 years old, the suit is brought through her mother, Mrs. Ma- rie Moentmann, as next friend. She is represented .by Attorney Edward W. Foristel. The girl was employed as a feeder for a& power press on which bags were printed. As she was feeding a bag into the press it became caught and when she tried to release it one of her hands Was caught. She tried to release it with the other and both hands were caught and drawn between the cylin- ders and so badly crushed and mangled that they had to be amputated that day. Marie Two Operations Necessary. For several days the girl was kept in ignorance of the fact that her hands had been removed. When she was told she accepted her misfortune with for- titude. Later another- operatién was pnecessary, but she recovered. Extraordinary sympathy was aroused by her misfortune and a fund of up- wards of $2000 has been raised for her by interested citizens. The petition alleges as grounds for Gamages that the safety appliance de- signed to prevent such accidents had been removed from the machine on which the girl was working and that the company was further negligent in employing a girl under the age of i6 for that work. She sets forth in the less for life and will be wholly unable to care for herself. | Four warrants have been issued against F. W. Hummert, superintend- ent of the company, charging him with employing a child under 16 years of age to operate a power cylinder press, more than 8 hours a day, without an ee es permit and failing to pro- e a safety device for the machine or post fhotice that it was dangerous. Lon O. Hocker, attorney for the Ful- ton Bag and Cotton Mills, told a Post- Dispatch reporter that while it was agreed among counsel to file the suit to get a setting in the present term of court, all hope of a compromise of the case has’not been abandoned. He said he and Attorney Foristel would continue to have friendly discussions of it with the hope of settling it out of court. Attorney Hocker said the lowest figure set by the Boentmann family as the price of settlement was $25,000. This amount, he said, the company had re- fused to give, on his advice, as he be- lieved it was the maximum amount the Supreme Court of the State would allow if the case goes to trial and is carried there. He said he did not care to give the amount the company was willing to pay to settle, but said the company was willing to be fair and liberal. It has been said that the company offer was $16,000. Car Orders Ahead Until November. ALTOONA, Pa., Jan. 21.—Orders were received today by the Pennsylvania Railroad shops here for the construc- tion of 105 locomotives, 1000 steel box cars and 75 freight cars. These orders, with work already on hahd, will keep the shops working at full capacity un- til November and the car shops to the middle of next summer. to a quart. FOR EXAMPLE, yesterd “ Thursday ). here The Record in Figures: St. Louis’ POST-DISPATCH for quick Why? Because it Measured By Results! pared with the other St. Louis newspapers, the POST-DISPATCH is as a bushel to a peck, or a gallon It took.all 4 of a ual the volume of home mere tising ond y the POST-DISPATCH alone. POOP DISPATOH ...,........ 00.0. 00dcs coe 00.9 Ools, All other St. Louis papers added together....... .'75 Ools. | \ This makes the fifth consecutive day this week that the POST-DISPATCH ha carried more than all, or three ont of four of its competitors combined. Big advertisers goes home in St. Louis and vici is exactly what occurred competitors ants’ adver- te! fs RP gre the remunera returns. into worth-while ty. and ev eae eS j petition that.she has been-made help- { TESTIFIES DRIVER OF AUTO THAT HURT MAN WAS DRUNK Policeman Witness at Trial of Youth Whose Machine Demol- ished Newspaper Cart. ——_—_ DRIVER KEPT CAR GOING; Companion of Man Hurt Jumped on Running Board and Vain- ly Tried to Stop Machine. At the trial of Homer Steinhoff, 20 years old, of 5700 Etzel avenue, on a charge of felonious wounding with an automobile, the Circuit Attorney today offered testimony that Steinhoff was intoxicated at 4:20 a. m. on Sept. 4 last, when his automobile struck and de- molished a newspaper delivery cart on Delmar boulevard, just west of Hamil- ton avenue, and injured the driver, Curt Mindell, 29, of 6539 Crest, avenue, St. Louis County. Steinhoff, on cross-examination, was asked if he was intoxicated. He denied it, but admitted that he had drunk two bottles of beer during the evening. He was returning to a party on the Clay- ton road, he said, after having driven a couple in the party back into town. Policeman Walter Bennett, who ar- rested Steinhoff after ‘firing six shots at the moving automobile, said Steinhoff staggered when he got out of the machine, and that the young man’s breath smelled of liquor. The policeman declared he believed Stein- hoff was intoxicated. The trial started yesterday in Judge Grimm's court, 20 weeks after the injury to Mindell, and ‘after the State, for press uf other cases, had taken four contin- uances. Mindell First Witness. Mindell was the first witness. He said he was driving west on Delmar boulevard, wrapping papers as he went. West of Hamilton avenue he looked back and saw the lights of an automo- bile not more than six feet away, he said. Almost immediately his cart was struck and he was thrown on the automobile hood. He said Thomas H. Rileys,another newspaper carrier who was driving a short distance ahead of him, jumped on the running board of the machine. At De Giverville avenue, a block west, he said, the auto stopped, but when Riley started to the rear to get its li- cense number it started with a jerk. Riley again jumped upon the running board, and, according to his testimony, also introduced yesterday, he made an attempt to stop the car by moving the levers on the steering wheel. Riley told of passing a policeman at the Wabash station two blocks west of Hamilton avenue, and of shouting to the policeman to stop the auto. The po- liceman, he said, fired six shots. At this time he estimated the automobile was running at from 15 to 20 miles an hour. The automobile stopped about 300 feet west of the Delmar boulevard bridge over the River des Peres, he testified. P Mindell was taken from the automo- bile hood and was sent to St. Luke’s Hospital, where he remained two days. Dr. M. B. Clopton testified he treated him there and for about 10 days after he was removed to his home for a frac- ture and partial dislocation of the left side of the collar bone. On cross-examination Riley was asked if he had not struck Steinhoff, causing him to drive away, and if his attempts to stop the car had not been the cause of keeping it going. Riley denied strik- ing Steinhoff, but said he didn’t know anything about the mechanism of an automobile. 3 Defendant’s Demurrer Overruled. At the conclusion of the State’s case yesterday, Vital W. Garesche, attorney for Steinhoff, filed a demurrer, contend- ing that culpable negligence on Stein- hoff’s part had not been shown. When the trial was resumed this morning Judge Grimm overruled this demurrer, and the defense began. Mrs. George T. McDonald of 7008 Kingsbury boulevard, sister of Steinhoff, testified that Mindell, in delivering pa- pers to her home, permitted his cart to go down the street in zig-zag fashion, with no control of the reins. She said she had noticed this because she had been up nursing her husband, Steinhoff’s Testimony. Steinhoff followed his sister to the stand, and said he lived with his widowed mother. On the night he hit Mindell’s cart, he said, it was very dark and he had twe gas lights burn- ing. He said he sounded his, horn at Hamilton, and that he was not driving more than 10 or 16 miles an hour, He was within 10 or 1 feet of Mindell's cart, he said, when he first saw it. Steinhoff asserfed he did not see any lights on the cart, and said that he tried to pass on the right side of the cart, as there Was not room on the left. As he swerved to the right, he testified, the cart also swerved that way, and he hit it. He told of Mindell being hurled onto the hood of the machine, and of Riley jumping on the running board. Riley, he testified, struck him on the jaw, and his hand grasped the throttle, starting thé machine and increasing its speed. MEEKER SUES FOR DIVORCE, SAYS Hild WIFE IS HARSH Congressman Declares She Tor- mented Him With Her Jealousy and Made Accusations. MARRIED 15 YEARS AGO’ Plaintiff Seeks Custody of Four Children—He Was For- . merly a Pastor. Jacob E. Meeker, Congressman from the Tenth Missouri District, and for- the Compton Hill Congregational Church, today filed suit for divorce from Mrs. Maude L. Meeker, from whom he has been \ parated since Feb. 15 last year. Mrs. Meeker has continued to reside in the Meeker home, at 2923 Geyer ave- nue. The separation became generally known only a few weeks ago. After reciting that they were mar- ried in Indiana, June 13, 1900, and giving the date of their separation, Congress- man Meeker makes general charges of indignities. Cold and Harsh, He Says. The petition alleges that Mrs. Meeker was cold and harsh toward him for many years prior to their separation, and insisted on arbitrarily controlling all questions concerning their home and the rearing of their children. He also charges that she refused to aid him in the professional work to which he was devoted, but does not set forth what this was. Another charge 4s that she pursued him with ground- less accusations of improper conduct, that she conspired with others to assail his character and reputation, and tor- mented him with fits of jealousy. He asks for a divorce and the custody of their four ghildren—David Olam, 14; Esther Naomi, 12; Miriam, 6, and Louls, 2. merly pastor of Mrs. Meeker, when asked over the tel- ephone by a Post-Dispatch reporter, if she cared to make a statement, request- ed that the allegations of the petition be read to her. After this was done, she said: “All that I haifierto say at this time is that the charges are utterly untrue. All who have known us during our married life know thaf I have been a devoted wife and mother. It is strange that Mr. Meeker did not discover these faults he ascribes to me during the days of his adversity.’’ Elected in 1914. ‘ Meeker was elected to Congress in No- vember, 1914, succeeding Richard Bar- tholdt. In recent years he became active in Republican politics and retired from the ministry. During the past few years he has tak- en an active part in opposing prohibi- tion and local option campaigns in many parts of the country. opposition to prohibition in many local campaigns in Missour1. WANTS FAC SIMILE PUBLICATION OF CAPT. VON PAPEN’S PAPERS But Any Such Thing Coming From London Would Be Forgery, Says Berlin News Agency. BERLIN, Jan. 21, by wireless to Say- ville.—Another statement in defense of Capt. Franz von Papen, former German military attache at Washington, was made today by the Overseas News Agency, as follows: “A wireless from England says that the letters, vouchérs and checks which were taken from) Capt. von Papen by the British at Falmouth, in violation of international law, are to be published. It is to be hoped that they will be re- produced in fac simile, because it will then be evident that Capt. von Papen never made a payment to Werner Horn, who is accused of having attempted to blow up a Canadian railway bridge. “But in case the British publish any- thing of this kind it may be asserted in advance that it will be a forgery.’’ 20 DRIVERS OF CITY SLUSH WAGONS GO ON A STRIKE ? They Demand Fall Pay for Days on Which They De Not Work—Hold Indignation Meeting. Twenty drivers of city slush wagons struck this morning for $0 a month wages, with no discount for days that they do not work. The ordinance under which they are employed provides for $0 a month, but it has been construed to cover only the days that the men work. Days on which weather conditions prevented them from working they have been given % cents for reporting. This morning when they were ordered to take out the wagons which follow the sireet flushers, they refused. Later they went to the city hall and held an tndig- nation meeting and tried to see Director of Streets and Sewers Talbert, but he was attending a meeting. KEPT TAB ON WIFE BY WASHINGTON, Jan. 21.—Electrica! dealers here are making the most of the announcement of the divorce sult of Mrs. Emma §&. Bullis against Dr. ee Bullis. In his cross bill, the Doctor teld how he kept track of his wife's movements éuring the night, although she slept In He has spoken tn Congressman’s Wife Who He Says in Suit Had Jealous Spells ages MRS. JACOB “GET THEM BOTH,” Chauffeur Tells of State today . virtually completed the di- rect against Mrs. NEGRO TESTIFIES MRS. MOHR SAID Informing Her That Miss Burger Would Be in Auto With Doctor. PROVIDENCE, R. I., Jan. 21.—The presentation of its testimony Elizabeth F. Mohr, Cecil Brown and Henry Spellman, on trial here for the murder of the woman’s husband, Dr. C. Franklin Mohr. Jeorge W. Healis, the negro chauf- feur who confessed that he took part in a murder plot alleged to have been instigated by Mrs. Mohr, finished his testimony just before the luncheon re- cess. Questioned alternately by counsel for the two negro defendants and by the Prosecuting Attorney, on cross anl re-direct examination, he was taken over various details of his three days’ testimony without materially changing it. When he left the stand it was be- lieved the State had only a few more witnesses to cal! before resting. A letter written by Healis to Attor- ney Edwards, Oct. 17, in which he asked about the advisability of changing law- yers, was identified by the witness. Healis said he did not have in mind any change in his story of the murder when he wrote the ,Jetter. Taking up the rb-qsvect examination of the witness. Assistant Attorney-Gen- erat Phillips drew from him the state- ment that he wrote the letter as a re- sult of a talk with Rrown. “On the night of your arrest, did you tell those peopie who talked with you what Mrs. Mohr told you to tell?” Hea- lis was asked. ‘Yea, sir." “Why didn’t you tell Chief Robbins that Mrs. Mohr was in. it?’ “Because she told me not io mention her name.” “Did you tell Mrs. Mohr that Miss Burger would be tn the auto with the doctor that night?” ‘Yes, and Mrs. Mohr said it made no difference—to get both her and the doc- tor.” ‘Mrs. Florence Barney, proprietor of the house in which Mre. Mohr lived, testified that she saw Healis in the hall- way at Mrs. Mohr's door about 6 o'clock on the night of the shooting. At an- other time she saw a negro in the ham- mock on the piazza. uo adealited Mire. Mabe hed told beet DEEP IN STREETS UF JOUET, ILL. Driven From Homes—Rockford and .Au- rora Also Flooded. 1000 Persons JOLIET, Iit., Jan. 21.—Water ran’ five feet deep in the streets of Joliet today, following heavy rains. Nearly a thou- sands persons were driven from their homes. Rockdale, a manufacturing town, re- ported: six feet of water on the level, and business suspended. The whole val- ley of the Desplaines River is tnun- dated, : Warning of Flood Fiashed Through- out Fex River Valley, AURORA, IN,., Jan. 2.—Warning of a flood was flashed by telephone and tele- graph today through the Fox. River Valley. Six of the seven artesian wells, which furnish Aurora with its water supply, have been cut off by the river, which is running over its banks. Warnings that dame at North Aurora and St. Charies, IL, may go out have been bulletined. Dams at Geneva and renee time are being watched and strength- ene East Side of Rockford Fieoded; One school Closed, ROCKFORD, UL, Jan. 21.—Rapid rise of the Rock River and tts confluents fooded the east side of the city today. The John Nelson School was closed be- cause of the inability of the pupils to reach the building. Firemen and polide- men were busy assisting families in the inundated district to higher ground. CAPTURE OF VILLA IS DENIED Report ts Filatiy Contradicted by Commander at Chihuahes. EL PASO, Tex., Jan. %1.—Persietent reports that Gen. Villa had been cap- tured at San Geronimo, Chihuahua, by the Carranza General Cavazos Were flat- ly denied early today Herrera at Chihuahua City. The report came to the border In a private telegram from what was be lieved to be a reliable source and was given credence generally. It has also been in circulation in the Chihuahua capital. Villa partisans here enid Villa and FINANCIAL SPORTS eae LONDON, Jan. 21.—Violent att the Russians, with strongly | armies, are being launched agi Austro-Hungarians along the Bessa bian frontier. That the renewal gh offensive here is of a angers acter is indicated by the Austrian o report, which says that between 1 6 routz and Boyan the Russians at : is eral places succeeded in tering trenches of the Teutons and wag the defenders in ve Seay enc ters. : “The ground tetoes the renche covered with dead Russians,” says t Austrian report. “On the fisl ground of certain battalions were ed as many as 800 to 1000 bodies of all the Montenegrin troops Dp : tions will not be discussed. tions have not yet been Austro-German peace 60! bia Otto, formerly Austrian — 5. Cettinje, is still en route for at yesterday, An official announcement by the M f tenegrin Consulate in Parts says, Lam Miouchekovitch, Montenegrin Pr has telegraphed te lagerrm by Gen. Luis]