.4 jJ
VOL. LV XO. 17;0G1.
PORTLAND, OREGON, FRIDAY. JLL.Y SO, 1915.
PRICK FIVK CENTS.
LAST EFFORTS TO
SAVE BECKER FAIL
Execution Hour Is Set
for 5:40 A. M.
PRISONER ISSUES STATEMENT
Governor Bitterly Accused
Spreading Calumnies.
of
NERVE IS KEPT TO LAST
Ex-Police Lieutenant Shows No
Sign of Fear as End Approaches
and Asks to Die Before Ne
gro Is Electrocuted.
OSSINING. N. T., July 29. The last
hope of ex-Police Lieutenant Charles
Becker, twice convicted of instigating
the murder of Herman Rosenthal, gam
bler, died when he was told early in
the evening that his wife had failed
to move Governor Whitman to com
mute his sentence to life Imprison
ment. This Mrs. Becker asked of the
Governor at the conference which she
had with him at Poughkeepsie.
Falling in her mission she started
forth in her automobile to break the
news to her husband, but it had al
ready reached him.
Becker Assails Whitman.
Becker, it was said, had not expected
clemency. Almost at the moment the
news was received, the prisoner gave
out a letter he had written to Gov
ernor Whitman, in which he attacked
the executive for having, be said, given
to the newspapers statements which
cast a "foul aspersion on my character,
and for which he demanded a retrac
tion." In this letter Becker reiterated bis
Innocence.
"To these charges and to all others,
I answer," the letter read, "by repeat
ing solemnly, on the brink of the world
to which you are sending me, before
my time, what was my constant answer
while in the world: I am as innocent
as you of having murdered Herman
Rosenthal, or of having counseled.
procured or aided his murder, or
having any knowledge of that dreadful
crime.'-
Accusations Are Denied.
The alleged statements which Becker
referred to as being credited to the Gov
ernor were that he had offered to
plead guilty of murder in the second
degree; that quoting from Becker's let
ter, he "had offered to give testimony
against several persona (whose names
are undisclosed) of having shared with
me in collecting money from law
breakers," that he had sent counsel to
two men arrested for complicity in the
Rosenthal murder and that Tvith a
cruelty almost inconceivable, it i
stated that my first wife died under
circumstances warranting suspicion
that I had caused her death.".
Becker explained the death of his
first wife by declaring .liat she died
or nasty consumption, ana that no
breath of suspicion had ever -een
raised against him in that connection.
Life "Surrendered Without Rancor."
"Mark well, sir, these words of
mine," the letter concluded. "When
your power passes, then the truth of
Rosenthal's murder will become known.
But not while your nominees remain
District Attyrneys and can hold the
club over these persons.
"With the aid of judges who were
misled into misconceiving the testi
mony offered in my trial and ii to mis
stating it both to the jury and on ap
peal, you have proved yourself able
to destroy my life. But, believe me
I will surrender it without rancor. Not
the judges in this state, nor in this
country, nor the Governor o- this
state, nor the District Attorney, nor
all of them combined, can destroy per
manently the character of an innocent
man."
Prlnonrr Sleeps Well.
The letter was mailed to Governor
"Whitman tonight. Becker had spen
ncarlv t)iA XL- Vi n 1 ( ilo v In Vila foil rrt
paring it. The statements which
elicited it appeared in copies of the
I morning papers which were sent to his
I cell shortly after he arose at 6 A. M
(to spend what were to be the last 24
hours of his life. He had the night
ibefore received the news that his ap
plication for a new trial had been de
Inied by Supreme Court Justice Ford in
IXew York, but he had slept well never
ftheless.
He ate his usual morning meal. Then
Ine was taken to tne prison DarDer lor
the usual hair clipping which is given
o prisoners who are to go to the elec
trie chair. After a bath his clothes
were changed for the "death suit" o
black, and he was taken back to hi
cell. He found that all his personal
belongings had been removed.
Becker, however, obtained paper and
began the preparation of his statemen
finishing the first draft about noon
Meantime his attorneys. W. Bourk
Cochran and Martin T. Manton. were
vummoned from New York. They wen
o the cell and read the statement.
Neither would discuss its contents bu
it was understood that Becker subse
luently modified the original draft.
Statement Mot "Legal Matter."
"All I can say is that the statement
s not legal matter," Mr. Cochran said.
Father James Curry, of New York,
ho has been Becker's spiritual ad-
Iser ever since his first conviction,
Concluded on Face Column 20
ARIZONA JUDGE
STAYS HANGINGS
OWN OIIDER REVERSED TO AL
LOW APPEAL- TO MEXICAN'S.
Habeas Corpus Writ First Denied,
Then Case Is Reopened Tech
nical Points Raised.
PHOENIX. Ariz., July 29. Vacating
his own court order made earlier in
the day. Judge McAllister, of the Su
perior Court, granted tonight an appeal
to the State Supreme Court in the cases
of four Mexicans sentenced to be
hanged at Florence penitentiary tomor
row. An appeal previously had been
taken in behalf of the fifth condemned
Mexican.
Judge McAllister reopened the cases
tonight after it was shown that his
previous decision in denying writs of
habeas corpus prevented an appeal that
would act as a stay of execution. The
appeal will be considered by the State
Supreme Court at its session here next
September.
Attorneys for the anti-capital punish
ment adherents based their applica
tion for writs of habeas corpus on
echnical defects in the death warrants
of the prisoners.
After vacating his earlier order.
judge McAllister denied a motion to
ischarge the prisoners from custody.
The appeal then was based on this
action of the court.
SIRE, 100, SURVIVES SON, 70
Michael Damplioffcr. Jr.. Passes
Away at Vancouver Home.
VANCOUVER. Wash, July 29. (Spe
cial.) Michael Damphoffer, Jr.. 70
years old, son of Michael Damphoffer,
Sr.. 100 years old. died today at hii
home. Thirteenth and Reserve streets.
wnere ne naa lived lor many years
past.
Michael Damphoffer, Sr.. who round
ed out a century on this earth last
January, is being taken care of at the
Blanchet Home for the Aged. here. He
had lived with his son until a short
time ago.
Mr. Damphoffer, Jr.. was a Grand
Army veteran, and fought In the First
Oregon Volunteers, shoulder to shoul
der with his father.
GERMANS FINE BRUSSELS
Penalty Declared Duo to Destruc
tion of Zeppelin.
PARIS, July ' 29. Another fine of
1,000.000 has been Imposed on the City
of Brussels by the German authorities
n consequence of the destruction of
Zeppelin dirigible balloon at Evere
by aviators of the allies, according
to the correspondent at Havre of the
Petit Parisien.
A dispatch from Amsterdam June 24
said that British airmen had attacked
the Zeppelin shed at Evere, north of
Brussels, and had set fire to the build
ing. BIG SPOT FOUND ON SUN
Object Is Six Times as Large as
Earth In Diameter.
ST LOUIS, July 29. A spot, six times
the diameter of the earth, was observed
on the sun today by astronomers at
Christian Brothers' College.
The spot appeared on the edge of
the disk today and will be visible until
August 10. It first appeared last Feb
ruary and now is on its seventh ro
tation with the Bun.
! I V' "1 '' 1 v .v V
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22 e-TcT wY S.fsJ S fife cqL -vv 'CAV ' -r-?y ymcJ
EVACUATION OF ALL
POLAND PROBABLE
Petrograd Gives Hint of
General Retreat
TIME TO EQUIP ARMY NEEDED
Kaiser and Wife Expected to
Enter Warsaw in State.
EMPRESS NOW IN RUSSIA
Czar's Forces Are Likely to Strip
Country of Resources, Withdraw,
Reorganize and Return to
Drive Austro-Gcrmans Out.
LONDON. July 29. The probable
evacuation of Warsaw and the whole
Polish salient by the Russians is indi
cated in dispatches received from Pet
rograd today.
This decision would come as a sur
prise to all outside the inner councils
of the Russian general staff, as the re
sistance which the Russians have been
offering, apparently with considerable
success, to the German efforts to en
circle the city were believed to be evi
dence of Grand Duke Nicholas" inten
tion to fight it out with Germany.
Battle to Be Avoided.
It is pointed out, however, by the
Russian military critics, after conver
sations with competent military au
thorities, that until the army is prop
erly equipped to oppose the perfect
Austro-German machine, the sensible
thing to do would be to avoid battle
and withdraw until the armies are
organized and equipped and in a con
dition to take an aggressive offensive
and drive the enemy from Russian soil.
Politics, rather than strategy, de
cided the Russians' advance into East
Prussia and Galicia. It Is explained by
the critics. While In doing so they ren
dered great service to the western al
lies and Inflicted heavy losses on both
Austrians and Germans, they may now
give up all and more than they gained.
Country to Be Stripped.
It Is believed by the Petrograd
papers that the whole country, if
evacuated, will be denuded of resources
which might prove valuable to the Ger
mans, as has been done In most of the
territory heretofore given up.
The capture of Warsaw naturally
would be made the occasion for great
celebrations in Germany, and it is re
ported that Emperor William has ar
ranged to make a state entry into the
city, accompanied by the Empress. The
Empress has been on a visit to Field
Marshal von Hindenburg's headquar
ters at Allenstein. East Prussia, and
left yesterday with the Crown Princess
Cecile for Niedenburg, which is across
the Polish border.
In the meantime fighting of the
greatest intensity continues around the
Polish triangle, and as Berlin asserts
no important success, except the re
pulse of Russian attacks, it is pre
sumed that the Russians are holding
off the Austro-Germans.
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY AND TWO OF GOVERNMENT'S STAR WITNESSES
INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS
The Weather.
TEPTKRDA Y'S Maximum temperature.
70 degrees; minimum, U decrees.
TODAY'S Unsettled; probably shower;
westerly minds.
Foreign.
American marines restore order In HalU.
l'age 3.
War.
British arrest German with cleverly forged
American passport. pi 3.
Russia hints at evacuation of all Poland to
await equipment. Page 1.
Use of shells in mar declared prodigal.
Page 3.
Majority of Spaniards pro-allies, but nation
wants to avoid war. Page 1.
Mexico.
Lansing makes demand on Mexican Generals
that, food b permitted to reach starving
people. Page 1.
Peace prospects Improve. Pago 4.
National.
Britain defends rlicht to maintain strict
blockade. I'ago .
Itomentlc.
Ex-Police Lieutenant Becker to die at 5.40
A. id. i-age 1.
Study of vocational art urged. Paga 2.
Two Federal Inquiries begun in Eastland
case. Page A.
Arizona Judge delays execution of tour Mex
icans, set lor today. I'age 1.
Mrs. Becker's plea for husband's life is
futile. Page 2.
Sports.
L K. Kichardson not likely to be able to
defend tennis title. Page 10.
Phillies win and Increase lead In National
League. Pag 10.
Pacific rot League results: Vernon 6.
Portland 4 (11 innings); Los Angeles ft.
Salt Lake 0; San Francisco -3. Oakland
2- lag 11.
Pacific Northwest.
Public Service CommlHlon orders reduction
In eastern Oregon lighting rates, t'age A.
Ministers conference at Eugene names com
mission on church unification in small
towns. I'age u.
Commercial mad Marine.
English buyers offer higher prices for new
ana ou nops. fag l.,.
Clearing weather causes sharp drop In Chi
cago wneat market, i'age ij.
war stocks break after reaching record
quotations. Pag 13.
Tariff to prevent unfair storage use of city
oocks being sought. Page 12.
Portland and Vicinity.
Weather report, data and forecast. Pag 15.
Xodce attorney In timber fraud trial charges
iramea cruise- msae. page 12.
Mr. and Mrs. William Jennings Bryan du
in Portland today. page v.
Japanese forestry official to study North'
west woods. Page 7.
Government expects to close Cashier pros
cutlon tomorrow noon. Page 1.
College graduate arrested for selling
ziancee s ring, page 4.
Films of Orecon industries soon may b
snown. visitor promises. Page tl.
GERMAN TRADE FALLS OFF
American Imports Drop From $14,-
99-1.585 to $1,153,257 in Year,
WASHINGTON. July 29. The effect
of the war on the trade of this country
with Germany is clearly shown in I
statement of the declared value of ex
ports to the United States through tb
ports of Hamburg, Kiel and Luebeck
during the first six months of this
year, made public by the Department
of Commerce.
During the first six months of 1914
these ports sent to the United States
goods valued at J14. 991.585. This year.
In the same period, the shipments
amounted to $1,153,257.
OLD INDIAN SPEAR FOUND
Forest Guards Find llellc of Early
Days on MeKenile River.
EUGENE, Or.. July ' 29. (Special.)
An Indian spear, estimated to be from
50' to 100 years old, was found this
week by forest service guards on the
McKenzle River. 60 miles east of here.
The shaft it of cedar and in a pood
state of preservation. The shaft Is
about 12 feet long, and has a. tip of
flint.
When found It was leaning against a
huge cedar and a knotty limb of cedar
had grown entirely around it. The limb
had been dead for many yearn.
GOVERNMENT CASE
TO REST SATURDAY
First Epoch in Cashier
Trial IMears End.
INVENTOR IS UNDF.IE
Patent cial Again Star
Witness Against Concern.
BASIC IDEAS EXPLAINED
Prior Dc ices Declared to Dominate
and Control Principles of Com
pany's Machines and Hacli
Is Considered by Kxpert.
The Government expects to close Its
case In the United States Cashier Com
pany trial, which has now been in
progress for 14 days before a Jury In
Federal Judge Bean's department of
the United States District Court, by
noon tomorrow.
Clarence L. Reames. United States
Attorney, so notified Martin I Pipes
chief of counsel for the defendants.
Just after court adjourned last night.
Mr. Pipes laughed.
Reames." he said, "do you smoke?
Tes? Well. I'll Just bet you a cigar
a box of cigars that you don't get
through then."
"Oh. all right. If they are good
cigars." returned the United States At
torney. "Hold on, there." he ejacu
lated a second later. "I won't do that.
either. You'll hold one of my wit
nesses on the stand and cross-examine
him until you go over the time limit.'
Mr. l'ipi- laughed again, Mr. Reames
laughed, and the bet was off. Frank
Menefee. president of the United States
Cashier Company, one of the prli.
defendant, who had been an in'. -rested
listener, also l"-heL He' seemed
as much interested in the little side
play as In the case.
t'sit May Be Held Over.
It was only one of several good
natured colloquies between the attor
neys on both sides In the course of the
triaL which, so far. has been remark
ably free from displays of bitterness.-
If the Government is able to close
by Saturday noon, which is tomorrow
the defense will probably be ready to
begin Its case by 2 o'clock Monday.
If however, as Mr. Pipes Intimated
na has stilt cross-examinations, mr
which he has previously reserved the
right. In store for some of the Govern
ment's witnesses who have already
been on the stand, and the Government
will not be able to close before Mon
day. the defense will a?k fur a day for
preparation.
The United States Attorney assured
Mr. Pipes yesterday that he would not
oppose such a request.
Illness Delays Trial Lost.
Although the trial has been In jes
slon It actual court days, it has been
on since Ju y 6. or 23 days. One week
was lost during the serious Illness of
Frank Menefee from a threatened at
tack of appendicitis.
Besides Mr. Menefee. the other six
(Concluded on Pace 8. Column 2.)
IN UNITED STATES CAS1IIER COMPANY TRIAL.
Thursdays War Moves
THERE are signs that momentous
events are occurring- around War
saw. If the evacuation of the
Polish capital has not already begun.
It is said In many quarters that the
withdrawal of the Russians la not far
off-wln various parts of Poland the
Russians continue to check the Austro-Gcrmans
In their efforts to encircle
Warsaw, but the consensus of views of
the military critics of the Petrograd
newspapers seems to point to the fear
that the Russians will not Ions b able
to keep back the tremendous pressure
of the Teutonic allies.
neither the Germans nor the Aus
trians are making; claim to any new
advances along the seinl-circular line
which runs from the Baltlo provinces
acroes-the frontier of Galicia. On the
contrary, it is admitted by them that
the Russians on the . arew front, to
the southeast of Warsaw, in the Gora
Kalwarya region, and in Northern Ga
licia, near SokaL arc barring; their way
with heavy counter attacks and that
the situation north of the Niemen River
and in the southeast. In the Lublin dis
trict generally, is unchanged.
Despite this, however. Petrograd's
Journalistic war observers, after con
versations with "competent military
uthorlties." seemingly are preparing
their readers for a new retreat by
the Russians. They ask that th Rus
sians view the events which are about
to transpire with confidence and tran
quillity to maintain their faith "In the
glorious Russian array until such time
as it shall undertake a decisive aggres
sive to break, once for all. the power
or the stubborn enemy."
The Rech says the Russians will re
tire eastward to new defen.lv. nol
Uons along the line of the fortress of
Kovno, Grodno and Brest Litovsk.
These points lie lust outsldo lha .
llsh border on the east. Such a move
if carried out, would give the Ger
mans and Austrians full possession of
50.000 square miles of I'oland and Its
population of more than 10.000.000.
Another newepaper " says that 70 Ger
man divisions, all the German cavalry
and a big part of the Austro-Hungar-lan
army are operating against Rus
sia and urges the evacuation of the
fortresses on the Narew-Vistula line.
Kxcept for the capture of a new Ger
man position in the Vosges, there has
been relative calm on ths western front
from the sea to Alsace.
In the Italian war theater the Aus
trians and Italians are allll battling
for supremacy, with both sides claim
ing slight victories.
A belated report tells of a recent
defeat of the Turks by the British near
Masirlyeh. Asiatic Turkey. In which the
Ottoman forces lost 2500 men In killed,
wounded or prisoners, and large sup
plies of war material. The British cas
ualties were 5C1 men, 101 having been
killed and the others reported as
wounded or missing.
Simultaneously with representations
to Germany by the United States that
German spies apprehended In England
are reported to have had !n their pos
session American passports supplied
them by German officers, one German
has been sentenced to six months im
prisonment in England for- landing
there with an American pasjport which
the evidence showed was forged, and
another has been taken Into custody
with a similar passport which he Is
said to have admitted was not genuine.
After a visit of the German Chan
cellor to the headquarters of Emperor
William, the Chancellor and the Ameri
can Ambassador to Germany held a
protracted conference on relations be
tween Germany and the United States.
It is oaid unofficially that it is not be
lieved the onference will lead to any
marked change in Germany's subma
rine warfare.
SPAIN IS FRO-ALLY
BUT WANTS NO WAR
Warring Nations Seek
New Entanglements.
ROYAL FAMILY IS DIVIDED
Conservatives, Including Army
Officers, Favor Germany.
CHURCH OPPOSES FRANCE
Wives, More strongly llclljrlou. Of.
ten Found KMiuln; Cause of
Teutons, While Husbands
Are on Other Side.
BT WILL IRWIN'.
(Coprr'eht. by the New Tor Trib
une. I'ub.:ibtd by rruitmeat)
MADRID. July 1 Every chancellory
"'"""S me warring t-uropean j-owers is
spending all Its spare time Just now In
trying to drag the neutral nation tf
Europe Into one side or the other ft
Armageddon. They have done a good
deal of work on
Spain especially 1
the Germans. At
present the work
seems to hare been
vain on both sides.
In these tangled '
and terrible days it
Is probably unsafe ?'
to prophey any-?
thing but the.
safest
Just no
prophecy
Is that
Spain will keep out
of the mesa. The
forces favoring the Hill Irotav
allies and those favoring the Germans
are so well balanced that neither could
make a decisive movement without
tearing the country to pieces.
I make lheio statements, not on my
own poor authority 1 have spent only
a week in Spain but on the authority
of American. Brltlch and German resi
dents who have lived here long enough
to know the politics of the great Iber
ian kingdom as well as they know
their native politics.
Majerity t-'avor Uratrra Allies.
T put it in a nutvhell. a mnjorlty
of the Spanish people, were a vote
taken on the subject, would favor the
western allien. The preponderance of
pro-French and pro-Sriiih feeling is
variously estimated by various ob
servers. One Spaniard of revolutionary
tendencies has declared to me that not
more than 10 er cent of the Spanish
people favor Germany. Another of a
cor.iterva tive and clerical bent, while
admitting the majority in favor of
France, declared that the vote would
be very close.
Perhaps the best qualified witness Is
a neutral diplomat who has recently
visited all the Important cium of
Spain. His guess is Si pro-German to
Sj pro-ally. However, tho minority,
whether li be lo per cent stronger or
35 per rent or per cent, has this In
its favor It comprises some of the
strongest elements in the kingdom.
Coa.ert atlves Are I'nvdtraM.
' The lineup Is almost the same In all
the neutral countries of Europe; where
local Interests do not effect the prob
lem the conservative element Is every
where pro-German; the liberal and
revolutionary element anti-German.
Such Is the state of affairs In Holland:
such was the state In Italy before the
liberals forced Italy Into the war. The
conservative nobility, with such of the
middle class as follow them, believe In
the German principle be-aue Ger
many, they say. has shown how au
tocracy can be made successful In mod
ern conditions.
This Is the class which deplores Par
liaments, ""noisy democracies" and ed
ucation of the "lower orders." This
war. with the early success of Ger
many and the proof that a military au
tocracy can be very efficient, has given
new courage to the extreme conserv
atives, so that they lare speak their
opinions aloud. It is true, they admit,
that Germany has assembled Parlia
ments and has educated the lower or
ders, even beyond ail other Kuropeaq
countries: but those were merely con
ccssslons to diplomacy.
C ssrrs Ostpoaea Prssrt.
The priesthood, again. is almoet
unanimous on the side of Germany, and
that for reasons more tangible than a
conservative Mas. Since the abolition
of the concordat, Catholic Spain has
generally regarded France as the
enemy of the church. Moreover. AuMrla
Is the one first-class power of Europe
which Is still Catholic In its state re
ligion. The priesthood sees Germany,
with a strong Roman Catholic mi
nority, and Austria, all Roman Catho
lic, arrayed against Protests nt Eng
land. Greek Catholic Russia and
France, which they consider apostala.
In Spain, as elsewhere, women are
the strongest lay adherents of religion,
and everywhere in Spain one encoun
ters the phenomenon of wives who are
pro-German because France Is th-e
"enemy of the church." while their
husbands are outspoken for Trance and
England.
Add to this the army by which I
mean not the conscript rank and file,
but the officers and the men in high
control. Just why they are pro-German
no one has explained to me ex
actly, but they ale. I'erhaps It Is be
cause soldiers are always conserva
tive; perhaps, also 11 Is admiration of
the German military machine, upon
1. ;-h
tCwaciuded oa rtt Culuiua X.