St. Louis Post-Dispatch
April 20, 1918

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{ gis i at hé ™ ay seh Ie ik = a if 7 aE | at P | un! wo, RASA E ii li: ~ hospital, = committee has ha” | i a, A. P.” _ news-gathering ue aod os J é Signifies that the Post- Dispatch receives exclus- _ ively the afternoon reports of the greatest ciation in the world, ona, LHC Associated Press Lo With uis the Associated Press ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATC The Only Evening Paper in St. News Service EDiTION — “you. 70. NO. 240. ST. LOUIS, SATURDAY EVENING, APRIL 20, 191814 PAGES, PRICE TWO CENTS OMAN KILLS 3 4 HER CHILDREN, ~ WOUNDS ANOTHER I oenennineenenentineenemnemnneedl Pts Rope Around Her Neck and Tells Husband to Send for Police When He Re- turns Home From Work. _ SUFFERING FROM MENTAL DISEASE | Action Based on Hallucina- tions That Husband Did Not Treat Family Well, Physicians Say. ——— Mrs. Dora Skaggs, 40 years old, wife of Perry Skaggs, 36, a chauf- teur for the Fidelity Storage Co., late yesterday afternoon killed two of her five children with a hatchet at ‘their home, 812 North Eighteenth street, and wounded two others, one »f whom died at the city hospital at *-40 a..m. today. Physicians at the where she is held a pris- ner, say she acted under the im- pulse of acute mania. When Skaggs returned from his work at 8 p. m. his wife met him at the door. Her mouth was filled with cotton and a rope was around her neck. Removing the cotton she said: “I have killed the children. Send for the police.” Skaggs became hysterical, and ran out, called for help. Neighbors ‘summoned policemen who found Lev, 6 years old, and Mary Rose, 4, dead on the floor of the front rooni. Their heads had ,been cut with a hatchet which lay near them. Cords were wrapped around their necks, and their mouths were filled wit cotton. .On a bed in the same room they found Anna May, 2 years old, and Dora, 9 months old, similarly wounded, but alive. Anna May died tarly today and Dora's condition is serious. At the city hospital Mrs. Skaggs talked disconnectedly and at times incoherently. Her statement, which hospital physicians say was based en- tirely on hallucinations, was that her husband did not treat the family well and that he had talked of selling their oldest child, Leo, for $5000. Dr. W. H. Schroeder of the hospital staff. after questioning her, said no reli- ance was to be placed on any of her statements, as she was suffering from a mental disease known as “halluci- natory paranoia.” Skaggs denied that he had in any way mistreated his family. He said he worked steadily nd turned in his earnings at home. Neighbors cor- roborated his assertion as to his steadiness and sobriety. He told the police that when he left home yesterday his wife said to him: “I am going to end it all. This will be my last day.” He paid little attention to this, he said, as she had long suffered from melancholy and frequently had made such threats. Skaggs also is at the city hospital, -under treatment for hysteria. BLIND CHILD SAVES LIVES OF 16 OTHER BLIND CHILDREN Nine-Year Old Girl Leads Little Ones to Safety in Asylum Fire. NEW YORK, April 20.—Rosa Cohen, 9 years old, and blind. saved the lives of 16 other blind children at the Blind Babies’ Sunshine Home in the Bath Beach section of Brook- lyn early today. Awakened by smoke from a fire. which started in the kitchen of the home the girl groped her way through the girls’ and boys’ rooms on the second floor, aroused each sleeping child and quietly mar- -shalled them into the corridor, later leading them into the courtyard in the rear of the house. Officials of the home were not awakened until the children were passing out of the blazing building. Two floors of the home were burned. LAUNDRY WAGONS WILL COLLECT BOOKS FOR SOLDIERS Owners’ Association Offers Service So Donors Wil Not Have to Carry Gifts Downtown. St. Louisans who have been wish- ing they could “get those books and things” to the soldiers, but slacking On the job of carrying them down- town to the collection depot at Twelfth and Locust streets, may hand them to the laundry man next time he calls and he will get them é@owntown. The 45 laundries belonging to the Laundry Owners’ Association of St. Louis have offered the use of their 300 wagons to the recreational sup- Plies committee of the War Camn Community Service Board. The knowledge of Shere to get magazines, books, talk- - fie machine records and player rolls to fill the demand from ments, but has had no con-| United States Senator. thanks and appreciation. keep faith. ing the Union in all war activities. and enlarged. ; . Gardner Announces That He Will “Stay on the Job” as Governor JEFFERSON CITY, MO., April 20. OV. GARDNER today issued following statement: = ‘*I have received from people in all walks of life, and all sections of the State, letters, telegrams, telephone and persons! calls urging that | resign the governorship and accept appointment as To all of these | wish to extend my heartfeit But this is a time to lay aside personal ambi tion and opportunity for personal gain. ‘*I accepted from the people the commission as their chief execu- tive to do certain and specific things. We have so far succeeded beyond our fondest expectation; but this work is not complete. tion we have been able to place Missouri as the foremost State in ai.t- It is, therefore, clear that my duty to the State as well as the nation requires that I stay on the job here. It is a time to serve as well as By co-opera- This work must also be maintained EDGAR ZINC CO, CLOSES ITS CARONDELET SMELTING PLANT Concern. Employing About 400 Men Will Operate Plant at ‘Cher- ryvale, Kan. The Edgar Zinc Co. today closed its smelting plant at the foot of Na- gel avenue in Carondelet and here- after will operate a plant at Cherry- vale, Kan., where it recently built large Smelters and homes for its em- ployes. The St. Louis factory employed about 400 men, many of whom came from Spain and _ Latin-American countries. It was said that a major- iity of these would be employed at the Cherryvale plant. Headquarters of the company will continue to be in St. Louis and the offices in the Boatmen’s Bank Build- ing will be retained. ALLIES FIND REINFORCEMENTS NECESSARY AT VLADIVOSTOK Increased Anti-Japanese iniieneton tions Cause, London News Agency Hears. LONDON, April 20.(By .A. P.).— Owing to increased anti-Japanese demonstrations at Viadivostok, where Japanese and British marines recently were landed, it has been necessary to arrange for reinforce- ments, telegraphs the correspondent at Tien Tsin to the Exchange Tele- graph Co. HARBIN, Manchuria, Sunday. April 14 (By A. P.).—An order has been received at Vliadivostok from the Bolshevik Government to ship the shells, explosives, metals, ma- chinery and machine tools concen- trated there to European Russia. Freight and passenger traffic are to be suspended for the present, if necessary, the order stipulates. MUCH SNOW IN KANSAS large Sections of State Covered and Moisture Assures Wheat Crop. TOPEKA, Kan., April 20 (By A. P.).—Kansas awoke this morning to find the ground white with snow over large sections of the State. A sleet storm which preceded the snow partially paralyzed the tele- phone and telegraph, communication. Telephone companies reported wires and poles down west and southwest of Topeka. In the wheat Bend and Hutchinson there is now sufficient moisture in the ground to insure the wheat crop, according to weather bureau reports. A total of five inches of snow had fallen at Manhattan this morning and the storm was still in progress. GOETHALS TO HAVE AIDE IN NEW ACTING QUARTERMASTER GENENAL WASHINGTON, April 20 (By A. I’.).—Lieut. Col. Robert E. Wood, nominated to become a brigadier general, is slated for appointment as acting quartermaster general of the army, it was learned today, relieving Maj. Gen. Goethals of the detailed work of that office. 'to substitute “by belt around Great BIG CUT IN STATE TAY VALUATIONS ARRANGED McAI111i ster - Sullivan - Middle- kamp Combination to Put Total at $1,898,085,530. JEFFERSON CITY, April 20 (Spe- cial).—At the meeting of the Board of Equalization today Attorney-Gen- eral McAllister introduced a resolu- tion providing that the board pro- ceed to assess Missouri property in accordance with Article 10, section 18, of the State Constitution, which gives the board the power to “ad- just and equalize” property among the several counties of the State. The purpose of the resolution is valuations made by the board for those made by the State Tax Commission or by County Assessors. The board favors as- sessing property at the a unt it weuld bring if sold, whereas- the State Tax Commission favers as- sessing it at full money value, or the amount invested in the property. The total assessment for all classes 4. property in the State except as- Sessments of railroads, street rail- :oads, telegraph and telephone con:- ». nies and bridges, as fixed by the State Tax Commission, was $4,017,.- #82,124. The assessment arrahged the McAllister-Sullivan-Middle- k.mp combine is $1,898,085,630, an arbitrary reduction in the assess- ment of $2,119,796,584. The increa:. over the assessment of 1917, as shown by the combine’s assessment, is only $147,870,237, which is approximately the increase recorded each jear under the old system of inequitable assessment. The combine’s assessment on farn or acre lands is $559,483,473. The recommendation of the Tax Commis- sion for assessment of acre lands was $1,623,031,867. Town lots in the combine’s figures are assessed at $912,209,314. The Tax Commission recommended an ag- sessment of $1,598,554,220. The Tax Commission's assessment of $139,637,544 on bank stocks is re- cuced in the new figures to $69,819,- 629. Other personal property, which includés household goods and live stock, was assessed by the Tax Com- mission at $227,.868,093. The new rigures reduce this $124,199,134, E. J. M’MAHON NOW COLONEL Relatives Reccived Word of Promo- tion of St. Louisan. Word was received by relatives of Lieutenant-Colonel Edmund J. Me- Mahon ‘today announcing his promo- tion to the rank of Colonel. Col. McMahon recently has been in act- ing command of the 138th Infantry, a St. Loyis regiment, which has been at Camp Doniphan, Ok., superseding Col. Julius Conrad, a regular army officer, who has been given com- mand of a cavalry regiment. Col. McMahon was formerly Lieu- tenant-Colone!l of the old Fifth Reg- iment. Belgium—and tells feature! Brand Whitlock, Today Brand Whitlock, United States Min-— ister to Belgium, tells the tragic story of other great exclusive historical literary A full page (back page first section) and every Saturday, in the Saturday Post-Dispatch until concluded it beautifully. An-. THREE STATES ARE BRITISH GAIN “OVER THE TOP" IN) MINOR ATTACKS; Kentucky, THIS LOAN DISTRICT ‘ Arkansas and Indiana Have More —_ Subscribed Their Queene, of Laenty Bonds. MISSISSIPPI HAS TAKEN 95 PER CENT | 94 Missouri Counties Nearing Their Marks we Sales in St. Louis to Date Total $18,933,250. | Three states—Kentucky, Arkansas | and Indiana—of the Eighth Federal | Reserve District, which has St. Louis | for its capital, have ‘oversubscribed | their Liberty Bond quotas, according | to reports received yesterday. Mis- | sissippi has 95 per cent of its quota | subscribed. The 94 counties of Mis-. souri exclusive of St. Louis and St. Louis County have subscribed 89 per cent of their quota. Subscriptions in St. Louis yester- day were $1,090,000, bringing the city’s total to date up to $18,933,250. The 34 bond and insurance teams from Thursday noon to Friday noon secured subscriptions amounting to $962,450, making the total since the opening of the campaign $10,515,650. representing 16,837 individual sub- scribers. Are | Haig Praises Gallant Stand of British First Corps LONDON, April 20 (By A. P.). IELD MARSHAL SIR DOUG- F LAS HAIG, the British Commander in Chief, has sent his congratulations to Gen. Holland and all the'ranks of the first corps on “the gallant and successful way in which all the enemy's attacks were repulsed yesterday.” This message apparently re- fers to Thursday's fighting, in which the British on the south- ern side of the Lys battlefront held firm against desperate all- day attacks by the Germans on the Givenchy-St. Venant line. AMERICANS RAID ~ GERMAN TRENCHES ON THE MEUSE | Thirty Infantrymen Accompanied | by Same Number of French Troops Inflict Casualties. WITH THE AMERICAN ARMIES IN FRANCE, April 19 (By A. P.).— Thirty American infantrymen, with the same number of French troops, | raided the German line on the right bank of the Meuse this morning, in- flicting a number of casualtias on the enemy. The Americans found the enemy trenches empty, Team 19, under the leadership of 5. L. as to the scriptions, $860,200 from 409 sub- scribers. Team 33, J. F. Valle cap- tain, is second, having 6°98 subscrib- ers, aggregating $633,600. Diestelkamp.. captain Team 6, is third in amount of sales, $628,800, and third place in number of sub- scribers, losing second place to Team 13. Team 6 subscribers total 1250 individuals. Edward Bauer, cap- Edward) wire, apparantly in the American barrage. The enemy laid down a counter | barrage soon after barrage started but all the Ameri-| /cans returned safaly _ to their trenches. SAYS 1,300,000 FRENCHMEN HAVE BEEN KILLED IN WAR tain Team 1, is high man in num- ber of subscribers, 950, which makes amount of subscription. under the leadership of J. L. Isaacs, | is second in number of subscribers, this team sixth in amount of sub-| scriptions. The dilinois Steel Warehouse “o. and thé Illinois Steel Co., team 26, Louis Steinberg, captain, subcribed $100,000. Stanard-Tilton Milling Co. made an initial subscrip- tion of $35,000 through the same team. The International Harvester Co. subscribed through its St. Louis | branch $10,000, subscription. being | secured by team 26. Home Guards “Over Top.” The First Regiment-.of the Missou-_| ri Home Guards has iggy mings ncn the quota by $255,000. The quo was $600,000 and the amount of subscriptions $855,500. Woodward & Tiernan subscribed $20,000 each through the Mississippi Valley Trust Co. and the St. Louis Union Trust and $10,000 through the Mercantile Trust Co., making a total of $50,000, all through team 13, J. L. Isaacs, captain. Brecht Laundry Co. 53 employes went 100 per cent. Team 1, Edw. Bauer, captain, visited the laundry and secured $2900. Theo. Crusius, secretary and treasurer, assisted.the team in their work. The same team visited the Columbia Taxi Co., Del- mar avenue, and every one of the 62 employes, with the exception of one, went 100 per cent. The sixty-second, who would not buy a bond, resigned having secured | Almost as Many £831 individuals, aggregating $486.- | * hime fifth in| Team 13, | More Have Been Wounded. or Captured, Com- missioner Declares. NEW YORK, April 20 (By A. P.). |'—-France, in four ‘of the world, according to Andre Tardieu, French High Commissioner to the United States, has lost 1,300.,- (000 men killed and almost as many) through | |wounded or prisoners: The high tol! | ‘ exacted by the war was made public iby the French envoy yesterday in a: ' address at a meeting of the ‘less Children of France” | tion. Praising the work of the organiza- |tion which already has raised more ‘than $2,000,000 in behalf of 50,000 'French war ae and oe that the French Governme d |adopted ‘. 000. 000 children Serue: of | fathers, M. Tardieu declared German propaganda could not coun- | teract the fact, well known in Amer- ica that “all our hearts are united | in a common affection.”’ “When men are dying,” he said, “their one last thought is for their children. In close communion with the trials and aspirations of our peo- ple you have given peace of mind to thousands of dying heroes. For hav- i conceived this great, good and mane work you have won for the affection and gratitude of al) Frenchmen. It is with: deep emo- tion that I bring you their thanks.” SNOW OR MORE RAIN . « Associa- because the rest of the employes | of the company. | i | ‘chairman of the St. | show sales in Kentucky are $19,676,- | freezing point: strong shifting winds Government has undertaken to place made it so uncomfortable for him that he could not retain his position, and the employes went 100 per cent. subscribing $3500 and the company itself subscribing $2500. Selden-Breck Construction Co. sub- scribed $50,000, placing $25,000 through the Third National Bank and $25.000 through the Mississippi Val- ley Trust Co. G. C. Bogue, treasurer Donk Coa! Co.. reports 100 per cent subscrip- tions with 50 employes and officers Cork Company 100 Per Cent. Armstrong Cork Co., 204 South third street—-16 employes, is 100 per cent. This company was visited by Team 34, E. K. White, captain, and subscribed for $2800. The sales in the St. follows: Louis district | Per Cent Total of Amount Quota Subscribed. Sub'd. Arkansas Illinois Indiana .. Kentucky Mississippi . Tennessee ...... St. Louis and St. Louis County.. 18,933,2: $ | $112, 420, ¥ | by the | Louis district | Eighth Dis't. Reports received . today 350. The § Statg’s . quota is $15,943, 550. Continued on Page 3, Column a lor snow in north and c AND NEAR FREEZING THE TEMPERATURES, Yesterday: High, 44, at low, 40, at 11 p. m. Official forecast for St. Louis and vicinity: Unsettled and coldcr §to- night, probably with rain or snow; the lowest tempcrature tonight will | be near the freezing point; tomorrow fair with rising temperature; strong shifting wins. TON, April 20 (By > >. wy U. S. ENGINEERS AIDING BRITISH WERE IN ACTION CONTINUOUSLY FOR WEEK ‘Gen. Pershing’s Report | Place in Fighting Line Under Own Com- mander After Various Other Services. | Shows How They Held | | WASHINGTON, April 20 (By A. 'P.).—Gen. Pershing’s report of the ‘gallant conduct of American engineer (troops with the British fifth army in helping check the German advance in the early days of the great of- | fensive reached the War Department late yesterday and was made public. had Secretary Baker. “It will make splendid reading for Americans,” said the Secretary. | American losses in the period from March 21 to April 3, during which ithe engineers consolidated aad held a sub-sector of the British lines ‘ogainst repeated assaults, were given |as two officers killed and_ threc | wounded; 20 men killed and 52 | wounded. and 45 missing. It is be- lieved by the British authorities that all of those reported missing were ‘not captured but that many were separated from their command and are now with other British organiza- tions. ; Gen. Pershing’s Report. Gen. Pérshing’s report says: “In reference to mention in sum- mary of activities, noon March 24 to ‘March 25, of American troops fight- ing with British armies and to the the American |daily cabled summary of the battle, | March 29, 1918, the following has} now been established from official reports: “The commanding officer of a United States engineers regiment has | Teeereae a copy of the following let- ter commending the action of the preee of his regiment: ‘Il have receivéd the following irom the commanding General | corps. _ “DT desire to convey to you and ‘ranks under your orders niv admira- tion of the splendid service which you and they have rendered in ccn- ‘nection with corps light railroad. ‘Thanks to the untiring energy of officers, noncommissioned officers and men, who have risen to the oc- 'casion in a manner beyond all praise, j;and their gallantry, much of what ‘might otherwise fallen into th? én- -emy’'s hands has been saved. ‘“*T should like to add my own ap- preciation of the excellent services rendered by the officers, noncommis- sioned officers and men of the light railroad service of this army direc- torate in connection with the present operations. Will ‘vu be good enough to acquaint all ranks serving under | you of the appr-ciation accorded to their untiring service?’ Did Variety of Work. “Certain units of United States engineers serving with a _ British army between March 21 and April 3. while under shell fire. carried out de- struction of material dumps at Chaulnes, fell back with British forces to Moreuil, where the com- mands laid out trench work, then proceeded to Demuin, and was as- signed sector of defensive line which was constructed and manned by them, thence moved to a position in the line near Warfusee-Abancourt, and extending to north side of Bois de Toillauw. The commands started for this position on March 27, and occupied it until April 3, during this time the commanding officer of & unit of United States Engineers be- ing in command of the subsector oc- cupied by his troops. This comman:i was in more or less continuous ac- tion during its stay in this position. On Apfpil 3, the command was or- ‘dered to fall back to Abbeville. “The casualties during the period March 21 to April 3 were: Officers killed, 2; wounded, 3; men killed, 20; wounded, 52; 45 men reported missing, but it is believed by the British authorities that they were not all captured, and that many of them separated from their command and are now with other British or- ganizations. This report of casual- ties does not consider one detach- ment of 57 men from which no re- port has been received.” The report also quotes the letter sent by Gen. H. L. Mullers, com- manding 2a British cavalry unit, to the commander of the American enh- gineering units, conveying the con- gratulations of his supericr, and the letter sent by Gen. Rawlinson, com- manding the British army engage. in that sector, t the engineers’ of- ficer in command of the subsector, both of which were made _ public Thursday in France. “EIRST-SHOT-AT-IUNS GUN TO BE SENT 10. 5. ‘Historic Cannon Worn Out and Probably Will Be Assigned to West Point as War Trophy. By THOMAS M. JOHNSON, A Special Correspondent of the Post- | Dispatch. (Copyright, 1918. All | served.) WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY |IN FRANCE, April 20.—Americans at home will soon be cble to see that lucky 75 millimeter gun with which American troops fired their first echot against the boches. The famous gun which hurled at Germany the first “loaded” an- rights re- p. m.;) Mouncement that America had en-| has been worn out | by the steady use to which it has— iy tered the war, been put since Oct. 23. Since that first shot, when @ red- headed American gunner pulled the lanyard, at least 12,000 more shells | | have been fired from it. Now it has | ibfien sent back from the front to the repair shop and, in all probabil- ity, it will soon be sent to the United | States and placed as a trophy in the) United States Military Academy at) Vest Point. week beginning | throwers Thurs- | i i | of flame | the Ger- | first real. With the exception captured from will be the mans, this by the Weather! american trophy of the great war ito be sent home. All the American gunners thet! sippi and Lower-| have served it have borne charmed | Missouri Valleys} lives. —Generally fair. | 7 except probably! shell in the 180 days of its service, | The gun has never once been put out of commission by a bochke and. although it has been fired by more different gunners than any) other American gun, not a single. member of its crew has been killed | or seriously wounded. It has een, known as “the Good Luck Guhi. Germany Raising Cotton in Buigaria | WASHINGTON, April 20 (By A. P.).—Germany and her allies are | nndertaking to overcome their short- age of cotton by developing its pro- ‘duction in Bulgaria. Official dis- | patches today said the Bulgarian /nored the summons. said FAILING 0 PAY FINES, DR. JULIA MEYER FELD Even After Arrest She Refuses to Obey Court and May Go to Workhouse. Dr. Julia Meyer, of 6047 Kingsbury boulevard, was arrested yesterday afternoon for failing to pay two fines assessed against her in police court for maintaining an insecure outbulld- ing on property owned by her at 1110 Franklin avenue. Even after being arrested Dr. Meyer refused to pay the fines, and was confined in the matron'’s room at police headquar- ters, where she spent the night. Sher- iff Mohrstadt said if she persists in j her refusal to pay the fines today he will take her to the city workhouse during the afternoon. On March 20 Dr. Meyer was sum- ned to police court on complaints ‘against the outbuildings, but she ig- ‘and $3 costs were assessed by de- fault. Last Wednesday she was again summoned to court, and failing | to appear, was fined $10 and $3 costs, making a total of $41. ' City Marshal Mohrstadt yesterday | ‘called Dr. Meyer to his office. He. she refused to pay the fines on the ground that she had no money, and that the property no longer be- longed to her. He then arrested | her. DOUGLAS FAIRRANKS 10 SPEAK AT COLISEUM AT 2 P. M. ppearance at Muauntcipal Theater and Rall Game Canceled Be- cause of Cold Weather. Douglas Fairbanks, motion picture actor, will speak at a mass meeting ‘in the Coliseum today at 3 p. m. in the Liberty Loan campaign. His appearance at the Forest Park Municipal Theater at 4 p. m. and at Robison Field at the ball game have been canceled because of cold weather. Maj. George W. Simmons, who this week returned fron France, will also speak at the Coliseum meeting and farge blocks of suitable land at the’ disposal of planters. a ee A fine of $25. RETAKEN rn In Counter Attack in Flan- jectives, Advancing Lines to Old Positions Taken by Enemy on “Thursday in Region Extending to Fest — ubert. ENEMY DRIVEN BACK SOUTHEAST OF ROBECQ — French Take Prisoners in Beating Back a German Raiding Operation in Han- gard Region, Southeast ‘of WITH THE BRITISH ARMY IN FRANCE, April 20 (By A. P.).—No further big enemy attacks developed the night. Trouble still is — brewing in the northern zone and south of the river Somme. There are indications in the latter region — that another mighty thrustt for the British supply base of Amiens js boiling. The Germans are nursing | their hurts in the region of La Basse® — canal. “In a sharp local engagement at Riez du Vinage this morning from - theedirection of Pacaut wood, the * enemy overran the British outposts a but was driven back to the wood. In the Arras region there was more activity yesterday and last — night. The British advanced their. line slightly on a 1500-yard front- east of Beaurains and repulsed a German counter attack. Later, how- ever, the British withdrew to their Original line. Southward in the ridge zone about Kemmel, it seems probable that the enemy has paysed- to organize a more careful scheme of asasult than he has employed in the last few days of costly fighting. For some time the Cermans have’ been pushing one attack after an- other against Kemmel ‘in order toa catch the British before they could get up reinforcements and the in- tantry has been send forward with- out the usual methodical prepara- — tion for a drive, The German higher — command, seeing the futility of this method, has paused to organize — greater preliminary operation. Now — another bid for Kemmel and the — surrounding region may come at any — time. BRITISH EJECT ENEMY FROM SEVERAL POINTS Some Machine Gans and: fous Prisoners Taken South | of Scarpe. LONDON, April 20 (By A. P.).— Nine machine guns, a trench mortar - and prisoners were taken by the — British in a local operation yesterday — south of the Scarpe River, the War Office announces. A German counter — attack was repulsed. . On the Flanders battle front the ; British ejected the Germans from é advanced positions ,:ined by them — in Thursday's attack "hi the region of — Givenchy and Festubert. % The British gained all t objec: % tives in the counter stack in Flan. — ders, advancing their defenses at © Givenchy and Festubert and re- © establishing their positions. <s In sharp fighting southeast of” : Robeca, the British drove back Ger- man attacking parties. ; ‘ The statement follows: “As a result of a successful minor ~ s enterprise carried out by us yester- day south of the Scarpe Kiver (in 4 the region of Arras) we captured a. few prisoners, nine machine ne and a trench mortar. Early in the night the enemy launched a counq ~ ter attack in thie locality and wan repulsed. “During the night a successful counter attack by the. First — sion threw out the enemy from points in our advanced - Sete around Givenchy ‘Ape gained by him Pool cost of Pe Aa were £ during a ie ee hs ec aie: es ynewernen: the Great Lakes Na-} “Laeal attac