St. Louis Post-Dispatch
June 11, 1918

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

When in Need of Efficient Help in your home, office, store or factory, call up the Post- Dispatch. ST.LOUIS POST-DISPATCH The Only Evening Paper in St. Louis With the Associated Press News Service ST. LOUIS,.SUESDAY EVENING, JUNE 11, 1918—20 PAGES. BATTLE CONTINUES WITH VIOLENCE; SMALL GAINS — MADE; BY THE GERMANS „America's Work Will Be One of VOL. 70. NO. 292. NEW JUDGE URGED FUR WEINSBERG AND KOENIG CASES Acting District Attorney Makes Request When 700, 00C EN OVER THERE, BAKER TELLS WHFFENADMITS e PARTINBURNING a. srsae TUT WASHINGTON, June 11.— En- joined by Secretary Baker to take home with them the news that 700,“ 000 American troops have sailed from this country to France, the French Alpine chasseurs, better known as the Blue Devils,“ left FOOTBALL CLUB OF 13 BRITISH SUBJECTS ENLISTS IN BODY Men Employed at Mines at Spring- ficld, III., Enrolled at British-Ca- nadian Recruiting Mission Here. The British-American Soccer Foot- ball Club of Springfield, III., con- sisting of 13 British subjects em- ployed in Illinois coal mines, enlisted in a body last night at the British- Canadian Recruiting Mission Head- quarters, 304 North Sixth street. The men were escorted to St. Louis by a detail which has toured the mining district of Illinois in search of new recruits. The detail was in com- mand of Lieut. J. D. Cameron of the Signs Affidavit in Jail Con- fessing He Was Member of Dyer and Trieber Refuse to Hear Demurrers. TRIALS MAY GO OVER UNTIL SEPTEMBER Appointment of Special Judge to Hear Espionage Cases Necessary This Month to Prevent Delay. Acting United States District At- torney White sent a telegram today to the Department of Justice, asking that a special Judge be assigned to hear the cases of Dr. Charles H. Weinsberg and Henry C. Koenig, charged with violating the espionage act, in the United States District Court here. The Weinsberg case was set for trial yesterday and the Koe- nig case for today. He sent the message after Judge Dyer had declined to hear the argu- ments on demurrers in the two cases. Judge Trieber of Little Rock, who is holding court for Judge Dyer, re- fused to pass on the demurrers, say- ing that the. Judge of this district should rule on the demurrers. If the demurrers were out.of the way, Judge Trieber said he would be will- ing to try the cases. He made this announcement after hearing two- thirds of Attorney Chester H. Krum's brief in support of the Weinsberg de- murrer. Judge Dyer, when White laid the matter before him, said he had been ordered by a physician to take an absolute rest, and to hear no cases, civil or criminal. He said he would leave the city in a day or two, fora long rest. Until the demurrers are Ted on, the trials cannot proceed. The up- holding of a demurrer would amount to a discharge without trial. If a Judge is not sent here to hear the cases by the latter part of this month the cases will probably go over un- til the September term of cougt. Judge Trieber has ordered the cases passed on the docket, pending a re- ply to White's request. Koenig Indictment. Koenig was indicted on the testi- mony of women solicitors for the Red Cross, who said he declared that Germany was right and would win the war, and that he would not give to the American Red Cross, even to save his own son’s life. Dr. Weinsberg's indictment was based on an interview with him, ob- tained by Post-Dispatch reporters, in which he predicted that the Teu- tonic forces would overwhelmgrance and Italy. bringing the war to an end within six months. SEEK ACCIDENT INSURANCE ON DEATH FROM POISONING Heirs of Man Who Died in 1916 After Eating Ice Cream Are Suing on Policy. The heirs of Charles F. O’Connor, 24 years old, who died of ptomaine poisoning Aug. 27, 1916, after he had eaten ice cream, are attempting, through a suit on trial today in the Circuit Court, to collect a $3000 ac- cident policy which he carried in the Columbia National Life Insurance Co. It is said to be the first case in which an effort is being made to col- lect on a policy on the theory that poisoning is an accident. John S. Leahy, attorney for the insurance company, argued that if the Court sustained the plaintiff, the “whole accident insurance business would have to be reformed,’ and that the beneficiaries of an accident policy could collect if the holder died of typhoid fever. CADET PARTY IN RUSSIA APPEALS FOR U. S. TROOPS State Department Reccives Message Asking for Help in Repelling German Invaders. By the Associated Press WASHINGTON, June 11.—An ap- peal to the United States and the al- lies to send an expeditionary force to Russia to repel the German invaders, forwarded by the Central Committee of the Cadet party in Russia, was transmitted to the State Department today by the Russian embassy. It is asked that the expedition, if sent, be put under international con- trol to guarantee the rights of Rus- sia. | 9000 MEN CALLED FOR LIMITED MILITARY SERVICE WASHINGTON, June 11,.—Nine thousand white draft registrants qualified for special limited military service were called for today by Pro- “Marshal General Crowder. will be put to work in the eo aeronautical corps of the 5 on ay and ‘will be sent to Vancouver, 4 h., tout materials for alr - lita Canadian Army. The team was composed entirely of men working in the mines and had gained renown for itself, in that it was the only one of its kind in this part of the country. The men who enlisted were James Watson, Wil- liam Alexander, Ernest Eggleton, George Campbell, Frederick Sun- man, Thomas Martin, Thomas Moore, Joseph Hendry, David Mof- fat, Richard Martin, trainer, James Peacock Jr., James Martin and Jack Walker. FOUR-AND-A-HALF DAYS LEFT IN WHICH TO PAY INCOME TAX Tardy Ones Will Have to Pay 5 Per Cent Penalty and 1 Per Cent a Month Until They Settle. Four-and-one-half days remain for income taxpayers to make their pay- ments to the Government, without being penalized for tardiness. The collections in the office of the Col- lector of Internal Revenue, Federal Building. Eighth and Olive streets, will close promptly at noon Satur- day. Those who have been assessed and who have not made their payments by that time will be required to pay an additional 5 per cent as penalty mains unpaid an additional 1 per cent will be assessed. At the close of business yesterday Collector Moore said there were ap- proximately 8000 assessments yet un- paid. Returns mailed to the Collec- tor before the close of business Sat- urday, which may arrive late will be accepted without penalty. PORTO RICO AND HAWAII GET DRAFT CALL FOR 17,000 MEN Former Will Furnish 12,466 Regis- trants and Latter 4336 in Week Beginning June 20. By the Associated Press. WASHINGTON, June 11.— Porto Rico and Hawaii were called by Pro- vost Marshal General Crowder today to furnish 17,000 draft registrants for the National Army. Porto Rico was asked to send on June 20 and July 1, 12,466 men to Camp La Casas, San Juan. Hawaii was directed to send 4336 to Fort Armstrong, Honolulu, on July 1. U. S. FLYER KILLED IN FRANCE Licut. Edgar Lawrence of Chicago Drops 40 Miles Behind Front. By the Associated Press. WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN FRANCE, Sunday, June 9.— Lieut. Edgar Lawrence, flying in an airplane, crashed from an altitude of 1000 meters (more than 3000 feet) last Wednesday, 40 miles behind the front. He was instantly killed. The cause of the accident is not known. CHICAGO, June 11.—Lieut. Law- rence was the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Lawrence of Chicago. Me was a graduate of the University of Illinois. By the Associated Press. SAN ANTONIO, Tex., June 11.— Lieut. Harry Dodds of Vancouver, B. C., died at the base hospital, Fort Sam Houston, last night as the result of injuries received last Saturday morning on the Stinson Field when his airplane crashed to the ground from a height of 200 feet. MRS. FORDYCE GOING TO FRANCE Lawycr’s Wife Will Be Red Cross Nurse’s Aid. Mrs. Samuel W. Fordyce Jr. of Hazelwood, St. Louis County, said today that she is preparing to depart for France as a Red Cross nurse’s aid toward the end of the month. The Fordyce home will be closed, as Mr. Fordyce is in Washington as counsel for th eWar Finance Corpo- ration under a recent appointment. Monday’s Memo ne Of Home-Merchants’ adver- tising again shows the POST-DISPATCH in its customary position of su- premacy over 3 out of all 4 of the ‘‘others’’ combined: POST-DISPATCH alone 35 cols. 3 out of all 4 of the „others“ added. . 33 cols. POST-DISPATCH exceeded all 3 others combined, 2 cols. WHY? Circulation That Is RESPONSIVE | and for each month that the tax re- Gang Operating in and Around St. Louis. MORE INDICTMENTS EXPECTED TO ROLLOW Statement Mentions Men Under Charges and Others Who Have Not Been Brought Into Investigation William Britton Whiffen, 66 years old, of Rombauer, Mo., in the Clay- ton jail early today made affidavit confessing that he was a member of a narson gang which burned 28 houses for insurance in and around St. Louis in the last six years. Whiffen and his wife were indict- ed last April, with about 10 other members of the gang, several of whom have pleaded guilty. His con- fession bears out statements made to the police by Mrs. Grace A. Kelley and others who have pleaded guilty to arson charges, but it gives addi- tional details as to many of the fires. It mentions Whiffen’s daughter. Mrs. Virginia Mendelssohn, Willfam Pewitt, a barber; A. B. MacDonald, a real estate agent; Alvin Shaver and Joseph C. Campbell, all under in- dictment. Pewitt, Shaver and Campbell have pleaded guilty and are under two- year sentence. Whiffen also men- tions several other men who have not been arrested and whose names were withheld when his confession was made public. His disclosures are ex- pected to lead to other indictments. Fire on Fillmore Street. The first fire mentioned by Whif- fén was at 434 Fillmore street. Whif- fen said he met MacDonald and and Young in their office in the Pierce Building, where they had “some railroad project,” and they en- gaged him to rent the house.under the assumed name William Brit- ton.” Pewitt, he said, brought furni- ture from East St. Louis and put it in the house. Whiffen took out an insurance policy, poured turpen- tine on the floors and walls and burned the house. Out of this Job,“ he said, he received $800 or $1000 in- surance and $50 from MacDonald. About three years ago, the confes- sion says, Pewitt engaged him to burn a saloon near Collinsville. He engaged Albert Campbell, now un- dér indictment, and another man to take turpentine and alcohol there in an automobile and the place was burned. He did not remember how much money he received for this. The confession throws a new light on the William Redemeyer stables fire at 513 South Twenty-third street last June. Redemeyer, a sprinkling and teaming contractor, is under in- dictment in connection with this fire. His trial was set for yesterday in Judge Davis’ court, but was contin- ued. Whiffen in his confession says a North St. Louis saloon keeper en- gaged him to burn the Redemeyer stables and that he obtained employ- ment there for two members of the arson gang as watchmen, so as to gain access to the place. For this he says he received $500. Prelim- mary arrangements for the fire were made in two downtown saloons. Got Pay From Gambler. The saloon keeper who employed Whiffen died before the money was collected, but Whiffen says he re- ceived his pay from a gambler, whom he names in his confession. An ex- tra supply of hay and straw was tak- en to the stables the day before the fire, Whiffen said, and this was soaked with turpentine and alcohol. A fireman was killed while going to this fire. The shock of her husband's death killed the fireman’s wife. Whiffen told of a fire at 6304 Chatham avenue, the title of which, he said, was transferred to Pewitt by MacDonald, who was the real col- lector of the insurance. Furniture for the house was purchased at auc- tion sales, and Pewitt and his wife moved into the house. Whiffen said he burned this house after soaking the matiresses and excelsior with turpentine, and he received $2250 for his work. $100 for One Job. A house at 3405 Manhattan ave- nue, ‘owned by MacDonald, was burned according to directions given by an insurance adjuster, the con- fession says. The adjuster advised that linseed oil be rubbed into the floors and that a coating of turpen- tine be placed over this. Whiffen said his daughter, Mrs. Mendels- shon, helped to coat the floors and Pewitt aided him in starting the fire. The insurance amounting to $1200 was collected, Whiffen's share being $100. For startmg a fire in a similar manner at 1928 Blendon place, Whif- fen, according to his confession, re- ceived $85 from MacDonald. A house fin Clifton Heights, rented by the Mendelssohns, also was burned. ou Page 2 Colum 2 Washington today en route to their native land. Before leaving Ameri- ca, however, the company of French veterans. who came to this country to assist in the Liberty Loan, and have toured the South and Middle West, will visit Baltimore, Newark. New York and Boston. In bidding the chasseurs — Secretary Baker, in an address yes terday, told them that the small be- ginning of our army.“ which they left there, now has grown into a mighty manifestation.’’ More than 700,000 American troops have sailed for France, Secretary Baker said, to carry back to the French army and people the encouragement and as- sistance which Lafayette and Ro- chambeau: brought to America. CITY FIREMEN’S UNION AGAIN SENDS DELEGATION TO MAYOR | Tell Him They Will Meet Thursday Night to Consider Acceptance of Wage Increase. Representatives of the union of city firemen, which is Local 73 of the International Fire Fighters’ As- sociation, called on Mayor Kiel this morning and told him a meeting would be held Thursday night, at Central Trades Hall, to consider the action which the firemen shall take in case the city does not give them the wage increase of $10 a month, for which they ask, instead of the in- crease of $5 a month provided in the standardization bill. The Mayor said to Capt. Joseph F. O’Brien, head of the local, that he (O’Brien) had made several threats of a strike, and he declared to O’Brien that the firemen could not afford to strike. O’Brien denied threatening to strike, but repeated his former assertion that “the mer can’t be held back much longer.” The Mayor said such a remark was equivalent to a threat of a strike. The Mayor said the proper pro- cedure for the firemen would be to have an ordinance introduced to make the desired increase, but he said he did not know where the money would come from. The stand- ardization bill provides for an in- crease of $5 a month now, and $5 more beginning next April. Under the bill, Captains will hereafter get $135 a month, Lieutenants and engi- neers $120, and privates $110. WOMAN, 75, TELLS OF DIGGING FOR GOLD IN YARD AFTER VISION Says Neighbors Refused to Show Her Contents of Two Scuttles, Say- ing They Contained Bricks. Mrs. Mary Stumph, 75 years old, told today, in Judge Hogan's police court, of the search made by neigh- bors for gold in her back yard, at 2022 Sidney street, after she had had a vision of the finding of great riches there. “I saw, in vision, great heaps of gold buried near the ashpit,” she related. I got the neighbors to dig there. They dug five feet deep and took out two scuttlesful of some- thing. They said it was britks, but they wouldn’t show me.” Mrs. Emma Link, one of the neigh- bors, testified that it was just bricks, and she said Mrs. Stumph made so many accusations against her, and applied so many epithets to her, that she got a summons for Mrs. Stumph's arrest. The Court continued the case until June 27 and said a probation officer would look into it. “HIT’S A JOLLY OLD GAIME”— FOR “ENGLISH” COIN MATCHERS But It Costs Unwary Traveler at Union Station $120; Ac- eent Did It. Two coin-matching confidence men, one of whom posed as an En- glishman with an overworked cockney accent, found two victims near Union Station yesterday after- noon. Stanley Davis of Stephensville, Tex., en route to Madison, Wis., was at Sixteenth and Market streets be- tween trains when the “English- man” accosted him. ‘I say, old top,” began the imper- sonator. “Hugh bloomink hold Hamericans are a jolly lot of rare hold sports. Hy met a bloke just now who wanted to mate coins hand hy ave a noshing to beat im hat his hown gaime.” The “Englishman” then unfolded to Davis a scheme by which they could win some money. They went to Eighteenth and Olive streets, where they met the second confi- dence man. Davis lost $120. The other victim, John D. Hender- son of 1105 Holly avenue, Nashville, Tenn., lost $175. EDWARDSVILLE SOLDIER KILLED Relatives Notified of Death in Action of William D. Kershaw. Mr. and Mrs. F. T. Kershaw of Ed- wardsvill ived word yesterday of the d their nephew, William w, who was killed in May 23, MARINES ADVANCE 2-30F AMILE ON DUD-YARD FRONT Germans Are Pushed Back to Northern Fringe of Belleau Wood in Attack on Marne Center. AMERICANS TAKE TWO MINENWERFER Numerous Machine Guns, It Is Expected, Will Be Rounded Up in Woods— Enemy Straglers Taken. By the Associated Press. WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN FRANCE, June 10 — The United States marines attacked the Ger- mans after daybreak this morning and penetrated the German lines for about two-thirds of a mile on a 600- yard front in the Belleau Wood, northwest of Chateau Thierry. The Germans now hold only the north- ern fringe of the wood, The Ameri- cans captured two minenwerfer, which are the largest pieces yet taken by them. It is expected one will be sent to Washington and the other to Annapolis. Maj. Edward D. Cole, command- ing the machine gun battalion, cap- tured several German stragglers dur- ing the early stages of the attack. Numerous machine guns, it is be- lieved, will be rounded up in the woods. The Ninth and Twenty-third Regi- ments of Infantry, comprising what is known as the Syracuse Brigade, hold the ground on the right of the marines at the point on the front nearest Paris. This is the second time the Syracuse Brigade has held the point on the line nearest the capital, the former occasion being at the offensive when the _ allies were still falling back and the Ninth and Twenty-third went in at Cou- lomb for a short time. The Twenty- third captured machine guns June 5, while supporting the attack by the marines. At least two men in the Syracuse brigade have begn twice wounded in the last 10 days during two different periods in which their units have been in the line. The commanding officer in this sector is seeking to as- certain the name of the man who captured a German machine gun and took the machine gunner prisoner on June 6. The American was wounded and sent to an evacuation hospital without his identity being discovered, although the machine gun is on dis- play at the post commond and the German prisoner has been sent to the rear. On the American front, northwest of Toul, the artillery fire was fairly heavy last night and today. There has been normal aerial activity. GERMANS REPORT SUCCESS AGAINST THE AMERICANS By the Associated Press, AMSTERDAM, June 11.—The semiofficial Wolff Bureau of Berlin comments in a message dated Mon- day upon American operations along the front between the Marne and the Ourcq, claiming the defeat of the Americans in sanguinary fighting. A conspicuous part fs attributed to an American “naval brigade,” and it is claimed that successive waves of Americans attempting to carry Bel- leau Wood were virtually wiped out by the German machine gun and ar- tillery fire, which was withheld un- til the American troops were close at hand. The dispatch reads: „For the first time an American division advanced on June 7 to the attack on the front northwest of Chateau Thierry. The hottest point was Belleau Wood, where a Ger- man regiment inflicted severe losses. It repulsed the Americans, who got as far as the edge of the wood, in a. tame at close quarters with hand 8 and bayonets. “Nevertheless, parts of an Ameri- can division, notably a naval bre gade, advanced again to the attack at dawn on June 8. in successive waves. We allowed the enemy to approach closely. Near the edge of the wood they were caught in front and on both flanks by a withering machine gun and artillery fire. Only escaped by N ie welch By the Associated Press. LONDON, June 11. HAT the American forces W have accomplished in France during the first 11 months of their participa- tion in the war is described in an authorized dispatch from a spe- cial correspondent of the Times. The Americans, the writer says, are rapidly completing the long- est and greatest scheme of com- munication ever used in warfare. “After a fortnight of solid travel,” he continues, I am con- vinced that what the Americans have accomplished will rank in history as one of the greatest achievements of the war. “For instance, out of the waste lands adjacent to an old French port they have con- structed a splendid line of mod- ern docks where ships now are daily discharging men, war ma- terials, cars and machinery, A huge new warehouse system at this point is nearing completion in addition to motor parks, cold storage plants and railway yards, with tracks aggregating 200 miles in length. In the car assembling shops steel cars are Greatest Achievements of War” being put together at the rate of a complete train each day. “Work is proceeding rapidly on a new 20,000-bed hospital, the largest yet to be construct- ed. There also are an immense artillery camp and a remount camp, where I saw several thou- sand horses. “These port schemes are be- ing so well worked out that they are capable of almost unlimited expansion, which will be most important in pooling the allied effort, for the American base ports may easily become the main reserve center for distrib- uting supplies to rail heads everywhere on the front. The conditions were the same along the hundreds of miles of Ameri- can communication I visited.” In an accompanying editorial the Times says: The German knows his doom is drawing near. He is well aware what the intervention of America means to him. When American preparations in France are complete the super- iority of numbers, the enemy's only advantage in the field, will be gone and the world will be in sight of real peace.” MRS, PREETORIUS GETS LIFE INSDRANCE JUDGMENT — ſ— — — — Compromise Award of 383000 Ob- tained in Court on $10,000 by Widow of Late Publisher. A compromise judgment for $3000 was obtained in Judge Klene's court today by Mrs. Carrie C. Preetorius of 3820 Washington boulevard, widow of Edward L. Preetorius, president of the German-American Press As- sociation, who killed himself Nov. 1. 1915, against the Massachusgtis Mutual Life Insurance Co. The suit grew out of a $10,000 policy which Preetorius obtained from the company in 1914. It de- veloped at the tri that Preetorius had borrowed money on the policy, but that there was a balance of $6827.31 still due. The company claimed that the policy has been al- lowed to lapse and that the surrender value was only $254, which they had offered to pay Mrs. Preetorius. Mrs. Preetorius testified the policy had been allowed to lapse during her husband's illness because was not un- able to attend to the payments. As soon as she learned of this, Mrs. Preetorius said, she paid the monty due on the policy. SAY REINEKE ADMITS BUYING $50,000 STOLEN TIRE STOCK Police Have Three Switchmen Under Arrest Implicated by Grocery- man. A carload of new automobile tires valued at $50,000 have been tran ferred to Police Headquarters from the basement of the grocery and au- tomobile accessory shop of Harry J. Reineke, 4251 Natural Bridge ave- nue. Reineke has confessed, according to Chief of Detectives Hannegan, that he knew the tires were stolen and that he has purchased them during the last eight months from switching crews. A small sign before his store announced that he had tire “seconds” for sale. Reineke said that he knew the tires were firsts“ and that num- bers so indicating had been erased and “seconds” stamped on the tires. Three switchmen now are under arrest and the names of others have bers furnished by Reineke. SOMEWHAT COOLER WEATHER PROMISED FOR TOMORROW Missouri— Fair tonight and tomorrow; some- what warmer to- morrow and in northwest por- tion tonight. Illinois — Gen- erally fair to- night and tomor- row; warmer in east portion to- night; cooler to- morrow. Stage of river at 7 a. m.—19.4 feet, a rise of 1.9 Free Band Concert Tonight. Fischer's Band, at O Fallon Park, ee ——— MARRIAGE LIGENOE FOR J. L. PILGHER Bride-to-Be Miss Bessie F. Allen of Pepperell, Mass. A marriage license was issued yes- terday in Washington to John E. Pilcher of St. Louis and Miss Beasie F. Allen of Pepperell, Mass. The only John E. Pilcher here re- sides at 5034 Washington boulevard and formerly was vice president of the Simmons Hardware Co. He has been visiting for two weeks at the country home of his half-brother, Edward Williams, near Washington. He is 74 years old and a widower. He lives with his daughter, Mrs. Brainard Allison. : Mrs. Allison said today that she and her sister, Mrs. A. B. Pierce of Webster Groves, knew nothing of the matter, except from press reports. “Father has written us every day, telling us how he was living among the flowers on his brother's estate, and enjoying himself greatly.“ she said. “We are heart-broken at the very thought of the thing, and we will not believe it is father until we rear definitely.“ Mrs. Allison said the members of the family had never heard Pilcher speak of any Miss Allen, and that they had not heard of her before. However, Mrs. Allison said, her fa- ther frequently visited Boston, and would have had many opportunities to meet persons living near there. Pilcher retired from the vice pres- idency of the Simmons Hardware Co. in 1905 and became vice president of the Baldwin Forging and Tool Co. of Columbus, O. He has not Jen active- ly engaged in business r about 10 years. His wife was icken with paralysis while attending the Veiled Prophet ball of 1916, and died the following March. Besides Mrs. Alli- son and Mrs. Pierce, there is another daughter, Mrs. E. M. Meyers, and a son, Edward Simmons Pilcher. ST, LOUIS HEADQUARTERS OF WASHINGTON, June 11.—A new operating region will be created west of the Mississippi River by the rail- road administration to include lines of the Southwest, with headquar- ters of the regional director at, St. Louis. This region will be taken from the territory now administered by R. H. Aishton of Chicago. Carl R. Gray, formerly director of transportation for the railroad ad- ministration, today was made di- rector of operations, with broader functions. — Promotions for Many at Camp Pike. lal to the Post-Dispafth. "LITTLE ROCK, Ark. June 11.— Twenty-five hundred Second Lieu- -sistance. They recaptured the vi TERRITORY RECAPTURED Poilus Counter Attack 3 Restore Stability of Their Line—Village Retaken on Left. SOME GROUND IS. _. — YIELDED ON RIGHT Defenders Continue to Serious Losses ent pee PARIS, June 11.—The drive between Mont Didier and : continued unremittingly last n says today’s official report. On thei 4 left the French offered effective te „ of Mery. On their right the French meget in violent combat with large concentrated by the enemy, — was able to hold ground. The French with⸗ drew their line to the west and south of Ribecourt. > The principal German effort was directed against the center. Attack ing with heavy forces the enemy drove back the French as far as the region of the Aronde River, but by a brilliant counter-attack the French hurled back the enemy all along t front and re-established their south of Belloy at St. Maur, south Marqueglise and Vandelicourt. ....... Both the strenuous and, on the whole, effective resistance of | French and the furious efforts of the Germans are explained by the fact — ae: y+. 5 * that an enemy success would involve ‘ the retirement of the French forees defending the line between the Aisne and the Marne, threaten both flanks with envelopment and open to the Germans the main roads to Paris from Compeigne, Chateau Thierry. The statement follows: “Late yesterday and in- the the Germans continued to Villeres Cotterets afd 5 pressure in the direction of Notre? 24 ta St. Denis and Ribecourt. “On our left our resistance was effective. The Germans were to capture neither Le Ployron Courcelles. The village of Mery w recaptured by the French at o’clock last night. 22 The principal effort ot the mans was exerted along the fra Belloy and Marqueglise. By a erful attack delivered with a number of effectives, the enem ceeded in driving back the to the vicinity of the Aronde er but by a magnificent return off ~ n= * sive French troops hurled back ¢ enemy all along this front, in violent struggles in the wood # of Dresiincourt. The Germans,» had concentrated very heary . in this region, were able to toval, com the French to withdraw line of to the west and south of F Sis-Mile Advance. All the advices from sf 9 1 3 E » = * * Fk» —— es * 7