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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (June 21, 1915)
THE MORNING OREGONIAN. MONDAY, JUNE 31. - 1915. 3 GIRL'S ESCAPE FROM L USITANiA NARROW Letter Gives New Details of Harrowing Trials of Miss . Conner, of Medford. LIFE BELT HARD TO FIND Jump Made From Liner Alter Boats Had Capsized and Honrs Spent in Water Before Belated Rescue Conies. OREGONIAN NEWS BUREAU, Wash ington. June 20. How narrowly Miss Dorothy Conner, of Medford, escaped drowning when the Lusitania was tor pedoed and sunk is related in a letter written by Miss Conner's brother-in-law. Dr. Howard Kisher, to his son, living in Washington. This letter has Just been made public by the son and details some of Miss Conner's experi ences which she did not relate in her letters. Dr. Fisher's letter, in part, is as follows: "Friday, May 7, was a beautiful day. All trunks were ordered on deck by 10 p. m. so I told Dorothy that I would pack mine in the morning and get it over with. The trunk was packed with some difficulty and delayed me, so that 1 was late getting to lunch. Dorothy and I had Just finished eating our squab, when bang! came a rather dull sound like a soft blast, a slight shock, and in a few seconds a listing of the ship to the side on which we were struck. Dorothy said, 'What Is thatr I replied, "That is what we came after,, a torpedo: we must go on deck." Every body rushed on deck (second cabin, third cabin and steerage), and came pouring forward, it Beemed. Boat Falls in Water I'pside Down. 'Not an officer was in sight and everything was confusion. To say there was a panic, is not the truth. Within 10 feet from where I stood some people were trying to lower a u,n inniTipi rtn women and chil dren, trying to get into it. I would not let Dorothy try it, nor did she wish to. She behaved beautifully. It was fortunate, for there was no one who knew how to manage it, and the boat fell into the sea upside down, spilling and hurting as it fell on those strug gling in the water. "A second boat was next tried and the same thing happened, only, by a miracle, it righted itself and so got away safely. Those two were the only boats that were cast loose from my side. "No one tried a third. When I saw the boats were of no use I posted Doro thy and then rushed below to get life belts. Life Preserver Hard to Kin'?. "My cabin deck was already fldoded, so I returned to the deck above, rush ing here and there in the dark, for the electric lights had gone out, trying open cabins for a chance life belt left behind by its owner. I found one and then in the topmast deck I found a second one. The ship was so. badly listed that I had some trouble, but finally rushed up the stairway to be greeted by some devil who tried to snatch one of my belts. He did not get it. In five minutes from the time 'we had our belts on the water was at our feet and I called Dorothy to Jump for it. I slipped through the rail into the sea, Dorothy had to climb over it. "It pays always to keep cool. So I said to myself as I went down: "Now if you can only keep your wind long enough,, if nothing entangles yon or strikes you, you will be all right.' I went down and down, twisted and turned, like a bug in a whirlpool, al ways wondering if I could last it out. Once I slid across a rope and pushed myself free from it. to go still lower, and then I started upward as rapidly as I had gone down. Struggle Beneath Surface Avoided. "I had nearly reached the surface, for the sunlight was strong through my closed eyes, when some one grap pled with me. Not wishing for a strug gle in the water, I sank again. It was a second only, and so came free to the surface, turned oven on my back, got my wind and struck out for an over turned boat some 25 yards away. I had a slightly bruised eye and two scratches, but they did not bother me in the least and I have no idea where I got them unless I was kicked while under water. "The upturned boat had some 35 peo ple on it before I left it. Had I known the old ship would go down so soon Dorothy and I would have Jumped sooner and so swam free from the suc tion. "We stayed where we were because some officer passed the word that the ship would right itself. From the time she was struck to her going down was Just 18 minutes. How is that for your water-tight compartments? Two In Water Three Hours. "We were three hours in the water, and it seemed that I never would get warm and that we would never get back to Queenstown. I had to share my pipe with two dirty sailors from the Lusitania. When I reached the hotel it was so late they could only give me a place on the floor near a fire, where a drunken rescued man talked sll night and kept everybody awake Dorothy I found next morning upstairs in bed. She had come in about 10 P. M.. while I got in at 1 A. M. "Poor girl, she had a narrow escape, and she was picked up unconscious. I, quite weU now- though she has a little neuralgia. As for me. I have only contracted a bad cold. Neither of us nor any one else saved a stitch of clothing nor anything beyond what was on our person." VENETIANS EXPECT RAID Authorities to Enforce Screening of Windows by Shooting. VENICE, via Chiasso to Paris, June "n- Reports having been circulated that the Austrians are preparing to make new air raids over Venice, the authorities have ordered that stricter precautionary measures be adopted by the populace. A military order has been issued that windows shall be so screened that the light will not show through' them. Jf a light is sees at a window the military guard will order it extinguished. Fail ure to comply with the order of the guard will result in a shot through the window. DARING YOUNG WOMAN AVIATOR WHO HAS WON DECORA ATION FOR HER WORK IN HELPING TO DEFEND FRANCE. First Battalion Returns. VANCOUVER BARRACKS. Wash., June 20. (Special.) The First Bat talion, under Major Wilson Chase, will return to the post tomorrow from the Clackamas target range, where they have been practicing for the past month. On Tpesday, the Second, Bat talion, will start for the range for a fpw weeks' practice shooting and when that battalion returns, the Third Bat talion will take its turn. Owing to the departure of the Second Battalion, the Post News will be discontinued until the return of the battalion. t " . ( I - ' ' i ;: HtL, -.LIUI y . - "v"HLrXi S .iS'-' - '-ft ' - ' " " a-?: - 14 :rii' -h - rtgSv : xHl - i A- fy - y II 1 V" I . . - it t . v- , I "r -- it - - I' -y ' V- ' " . ' , 'y :: I . . j-jj.- f - : : j y. . - mJovtrmtnriiMm I -.j -j in' irfrtrinjS iiff i-6gS : : : -r ' ' ' ' ' " . ' c r r4V - ' - I - ry ' : ; 'I T JPH s I Jf-! I 3 .'- ! . . Copyright, 1915, by Underwood & Underwood. HLLE. HELEE DITRIOU. WAR HERO HE GOMES Daring French Ladybird to Lecture in United States. CROSS WON BY BRAVERY Unofficial Adventures in Air Help ful in Suving Paris When Germans Were Advancing. Aviation Prizes Hers. NEW YORK. June 15. Just from the battlefields of Flanders and France, where she has won distinc tion exceptional for one of her sex, France's "ladybird" has arrived in New York on tne French liner-Rochambeau. She is Mile. Helene Dutrlou, 25 years old, petite, pretty and winsome, look ing even younger than her years and yet possessor of the cross of the Legion of Honor, fairly won by her bravery in war. ; Mile. Dutriou already had won dis tinction by her flights when the war began. She had won speed and dis tance prizes in the New York contests of 1911. and the King of Italy's prizes at Florence the same year. When Paris was threatened by the advance of Von Kluck's army, she offered her services in the effort to guard Paris against invasion. France then was in the midst of the first preparation for war. There was no provision for the enlistment of women in the military aero division. Nevertheless. Mile. Dutriou persisted, and, failing to obtain formal accept ance of her services by the French government, volunteered "unofficially" for the war. In her own aeroplane she three times warned the French of the approach of German aeroplanes. For a night flight made at great peril she won her dec oration. Then, when the pressure on the capital was over, she Joined the ambulance corps. Since, she has been almost constantly on the battlefield. fehe will lecture for a time in the United States on the use of the aero plane in war. Then she will return to her work in France. KLAMATH PROJECT SEEN (Cantlnurd From First Page.) by the committee and water users that the expenditure of an additional $2,000. 000 would bring in the entire 250,000 acres. It was this situation which recently brought about a conference between officers of the Government and the water users. As 40,000 acres are charged proportionately with $2,000,000, the cost or tne water was abnormally high. It Is understood that an agree ment has been reached whereby the completed portion of the project is to be charged pro rata to these 40,000 acre's, making the amount actually to be repaid in the item about $900,000. "The people here are now entirelv satisfied with the project and are will ing to pay the Government dollar for dollar," said Abel Ady, for the water users. "There have been rrors of Judgment which created unnecessary expense, but they are such as might have happened in any private business. The farmers here wiir not take advan tage of the extension of time recently granted by Congress in which to make payments for water rights, but will pay up within a very few years." Money la Scarce. Representative Mondell, of Wyoming, one of the experts on irrigation, who is a member of the appropriations com mittee, expressed great satisfaction with the project. "However, I do not feel that too much should be expected of the next Congress in the matter of appropriations," said Mr. Mondell. "The revenue from sales of lands now aver ages only about $2,500,000 a year, and the next fiscal year will exhaust the $20,000,0u0 bond issue that was floated by the Government a few years ago. "I would begin the agitation of an other bond issue immediately if the financial condition of the Government was right. But the Treasury of the United States is practically bankrupt. If your Uncle Samuel paid his current debts he would be several million in the red. "However, if the Secretary of the In terior would administer the laws ac cording to their letter and intent, in stead of refusing applications to pur chase under many of the acts which have never been repealed, the funds for reclamation purposes would be ample. "I expected to And the Representative-from this district right here when we arrived, and I was not disappointed. Nick Slnnott has been one of the strong reclamationlsts of the House, and he is always on the Job. If- The Oregonian does not print that, tell them to leave me out of the story." Will . King In Party. Members of the appropriations com mittee who are here are: John J. Fitzgerald, of New York, chairman of the committee, and the following mem bers: William P. Borland, of Missouri: Joseph W. Byrnee, of Tennessee; Charles R. Davis, of Minnesota; Fred erick. H. Gillett, of Massachusetts; James W. Good, of Iowa; Frank W. Mondell, of Wyoming; James Mo An drews, of Illinois; Robert N. Page of North Carolina; George W. Rauch, of 'Indiana; Swager Sherley. of Kentucky, and Thomas Upton Slsson, of Missis sippi. Accompanying the committee are James C. Courts, clerk; M. C. Shields, assistant clerk; H. B. Weaver, official stenographer, and KL F. Rea, clerk of the Senate committee on appropria tions; A. P. Davis, director and chief engineer of the Reclamation Service; Judge Will R. King, chief counsel of the Reclamation Service; W. A. Ryan, controller of the service: Sydney B. Williamson. J. L. Clancy and E. A. Clark, clerks. J. W. Brewer and Mark Woodruff represented - the Portland Chamber of Commerce, showing residents of Klam ath Falls that Portland is displaying great interest in the success of the district. Party Coming to Portland. The committee on appropriations of the United States House of Representa tives will be in Portland for one hour and three-quarters tonight that is, if their train is on time, for they are scheduled to arrive from the south at 10:15 o'clock P. M. and to depart over the O.-W. R. & N. at midnight for Umatilla, on their way to North Yak ima. Wash., to look oyer that district on Tuesday. C. N. McArthur, Representative in Congress from the Third Oregon Dis trict, left Portland last night to meet the party at Grants Pass today. United States Senators Chamberlain and Lane, Governor Withycombe and others inter ested in irrigation work, will also meet the party there and travel with them to Portland. HEAVY LOSSES ARE ADMITTED BY ROME Italians, However, Declare Re . suit Obtained by Capture of Heights Important. AUSTRIANS ARE DECIMATED Numerous Heavy Guns Concealed in Commanding Positions Add to Difficulty of Attack Of fensive Is Repulsed. ROME, via Paris, June 20. An offi cial statement from main headquarters ,of the Italian army, most of which is devoted to details or tne two aao struggle for the heights on the left bank of. the Isonzo River near Plava, says that the Italians took the last of these heights remaining in the hands of the Austrians on June 17, and that while the Italians' losses were heavy, the results attained were important. The statement follows: "Artillery duels and engagements be tween small bodies occupied several points on the front on June 9. In Ca rinthia the enemy made fresh attacks on Freifofel and attempted to approach the head of the Valonia Pass. They were repulsed. River Bridged for Attack. "New details have been received of the struggle which continued two days and a night for the heights on the left bank of the Isonzo River, commanding Plava village. The bridge crossing the Isonzo had been destroyed by the enemy. With patient efforts we threw bridges across and at dawn on the 16th our troops began an attack. The move ment was carried out all day. "Numerous heavy guns, even 12-lnch guns, were concealed In commanding positions, which were difficult for our artillery to reach. Nevertheless, our troops succeeded by repeated bayonet charges in debouching on the enemy's first line. During the night the enemy tried with sudden dashes to deprive us of the ground conquered, but were thrown back. Lonei Severe, Results Important. "On the 17th our troops completed their success by carrying the heights. The enemy then concentrated on them with violent artillery and machine gun fire, which was followed up by another counter-attack. He was decimated and definitely driven back at the point of the bayonet. We made more than 150 prisoners, including four officers, and captured a quantity of rifles, munitions and one machine gun. Our losses were serious, but the results obtained were important. "On the Isonzo, which we captured by main force, the enemy's positions have been, one after another, taken by as sault. Attempts to assume the offensive have been repulsed." AUSTRIAN RULER ANGRY SUCCESS OF ITALIANS IS REPORTED TO BE C.1VSE. Fleet Commander Said to Have Been Called Before Throne and Ordered to Seek Battle. ROME, June 20. (Special.) Accord ing to confidential information avail able here. Emperor Francis Joseph has been highly dissatisfied with the mili tary and naval operations against Italy. He blames General von Conrad chief of the army staff, and Admiral Chiari, chief of naval staff, who failed to secure the frontier and coast, despite ample warning that Italian interven tion was imminent. In an outburst of anger. Emperor Francis Joseph relieved Generals Kankl and Rohr of their commands. As to the navy, the Emperor summoned Ad miral Chiari to Vienna and warned him that his duty was to fight and not to keep the fleet bottled up at.Pola. pas sively awaiting Italian investment by land and sea, and the probable cap ture of many warships. The Emperor is reported to have told the Admiral that unless the fleet were used he would ask the Kaiser to send German naval officers to assume command. The result of the imperial reprimand was the bombardment of the Italian coast. An Austrian cruiser set out from Pola protected by eight .destroyers and torpedo boats to bombard the unde fended coast towns. :E KILLED JOLIET ' CONVICT SUSPECTED MURDERIXG WOMAN. OF Victim Former Prima Donna In "Merry Widow"; Blow On Head Indicated and Bed Is Set Afire. JOLIET, I1L, June 20. Mrs. Edwin M. Allen, wife of the warden of the state penitentiary here, and former comic opera favorite, was found dead and burned in her bed today, in the warden's suite at the penitentiary. A wound in the left temple and the rapidity with which the flames charred her body almost beyond recognition gave rise to the belief that she had been stunned by a blow on the head, and her nightclothes were soaked with alcohol and ignited. A bottle which had contained alco hol was found in the room, together with a heavy water bottle, which might have been the instrument with which she was struck. Mrs. Allen was formerly a prima donna of a company presenting "The Merry Widow." Her maiden name was Odette Maizee Bordeoux, and her home was Los Angeles, where an aunt and cousin still live. She was 34 years old. Joseph Campbell, a negro convict who acted as the Aliens' house serv ant and who lived in the warden's suite, was placed in solitary confinement after a committee of prison officials had investigated the fire. He will be charged with murder, it was said. Ex-Kepresentativo Cowherd ' Dead. PASADENA, Cal.. June 20. William S. Cowherd, ex-Representative in Con gress from Missouri, died here tonight of anaemia after an illness of six months. He came to California last January from Kansas City. He was 55 years old. He was elected to Congress for four terms. Vacuum cleaners are finding a rood mar ket In Scotland. Pioneer Association to 3Ieet. COLVILLE. Wash.. June 20 r Ra cial. ) The Stevens County Pioneer As sociation Will hold ita 1?th nntiiial t.A union in Colville June 30, and the event promises to be well patronized. The ft 1 y C3 In my flights at the Kxposition I am using Zerolene. ' It lubricates my motor perfectly. Yours truly, i Dealers everywhere, and at all agencies and service stations of Standard Oil Company association has a large membership. The management will endeavor to ini tiate a number of historical features thi3 year with a view to stimulating an interest in the preservation of early history of Stevens County and of this part of the state. 1 Hood River to Exliibit Cattle. HOOD RIVER. Or.. June 20. (Spe cial.) Recent agitation among the or chardists of the Valley, the larger per centage of whom are now engaging in a limited livestock raising, has cul minated in a decision to hold a stock show here on September 17-J8. In for mer years apple shows were the most talked-of annual events. Today apple growers, while not neglecting their or chards, are taking Just as much inter est in their prize swine and cattle. Mr. Hawley to Greet Congressman. SALEM. Or.. June 20. (Special.) W. C. Hawley, Representative in Congress, has gone, to Ashland to meet John J. Fitzgerald, of New York, chairman of the congressional committee on appro priations, who will visit Oregon in the interest of irrigation. Other Oregon Representatives in Congress also will be in Ashland to meet the distinguished visitor. Sweden iron ore deposits are estimated at 1, 300.000,000 tons, in 1913 ovtr 6.440. 000 tons was exported, mainly to England and Germany. A 'S When your children "get on your nerves" the trouble is with your nerves, not with the children. You find yourself scolding them when you should be reasoning with them and if you are wise you will realize that your nervous system needs attention. You observe, doubtless, that you wake up in the morning unrefreshed by your night's sleep, that you often feel better at night than you do in the morning. You realize that you are getting irri table, things worry you that didn't for merly and you have headaches more frequently than you used to. Let this condition go on uncorrected and you invite a nervous breakdown. The proper treatment is to take more rest, stop worrying and uild up your blood and nerves with Dr. Williams' Pink Pills. You will soon find that you sleep better and are more refreshed by it, that your appetite and digestion im prove, headaches are less frequent and that little things do not annoy you as they did. You can begin the treatment today, for your own druggist sells Dr. Williams' Pink Pills. The Dr. Williams Medicine Co., Sche nectady. N. Y., will cend free on re quest two helpful books, "Nervous Dis orders. A Method of Home Treatment," and "What to Eat and How to Eat." IHtAKblUJWJMHt KUAU Erf? , L ft t-S - m if - " ' vA V.. Y.VSkl. WW V ii t . "A TT -- - 11 Zi ' Aslw him V.-u vi !.' "-. -v ? , nt . NB y Made by the Largest Rubber Company in the World