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.
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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."
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