Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, February 28, 1916, DAILY EDITION, Image 1

Rogue River courier., February 28, 1916, DAILY EDITION, Image 1

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Newspaper Page Text. DAILY EDITION tLZ 1 .L i ii . 'I in ' '- . " ii. . VOL. VI., No, 137. ' OIUNTS PASS, JOSEPHINE COUNTlf, OREGON, MONDAY, FEBItl'Anr 28, 1019. WHOLE ITUMBER 1881. , No Other Town in the World the Size of Grants Pass Has a Paper With Full Leased Wire Telegraph Service. L B, III WIFE, 1 Feud of Long Standing Comes to a Tragic Close When Worthy Couple Are Ambushed by 1.1. D. Bcasmn, Sr. tf and Are Shot to Death When on Way to Sunday School, the Slayer Being Arrested and Making Full Confession The victims of as cold-blooded ft murder aa waa over perpetrated In the Rogue valley, the 'bodies ot tbe Rev. Luthor Bryant Akora and hl wife, dale, lie In the morgue today, while their alayer, M. 0. Bousman, 8r., la held In the county Jail to newer for the crime. The double tnurdor waa commlttod Sunday niorntnir. at about 9 o'clock, near the farm home of the Akera on Bull creek, a email tributary ot the Applegate four mlloi above Wilder Title, though the bodlea were not found till & o'clock Sunday evening. At that hour, J. H. Brlnlgar. going vp the road to the aawmill where be waa employed, came upon the bodlea of Mr. and Mra. Akera lying hout 80 feet apart by tbe roadside, while abort distance away waa tbe team that the Akera had been driv ing, one horao already dead and the other near to death, having been hot by the murderer. Neighbor la Suspected Lying near tbe aeene of the tragedy waa found the canea that it waa known M. D. Bousman, who owned an adjoining farm to that of the Akera, had been In tbe habit of car rying, and auiplclon at once pointed to Bousman. It waa alao known that there had been trouble between the Akera and Bouaman for a number of year, and that the latter had threat ened violence to both Mr. and Mrs. Akera on varloua occasion. Boua man had, In fact, been placed under bonda at one time to observe tho peace. The trouble between the arbors bad been cauaed by dis pute's over fencea and by the allow ing of the Bousman bogs to run at Urge. ( Bowman Arreeted When Sliorlff Smith waa notlflod ot the tragedy, he left at once with Deputy Donnlson for tbe aeene, go ing to tbe home of Mr. Bouaman. When they rapped upon the door, , Bousman answered, auk Inn who wn J ore. When told that It was the ehcW, W',:1 H there waa a mob outs', and told there waa not, beKbted ft IaiiiV and admitted the rfluora. Whon tike sheriff - asked iousman If he kmW anything about the murder down tlie road he replied that he. Knew ail eooni u, ana bi no time nm.' attempt to deny that he was tne nerpevrator. Inside the bouse Dousman's t-5-85 callbor Win chester carbine, fo Uy , loaded, was found lying upon tho. bod, but tbe old man offored no rcslutanco when placed under arrest , W the officers, showing much rollpf that there waa no mob present to ,dr summary ven geance. . (j; f Prisoner (nfcsftt'f; tho Crime Tbe prisoner, who gave his age to the Courier representative attor he had boen lodged in he County jail lato at night aa 63 years', looks to be fully 70, his hair lions gray and his Ions beard noarly k',te. As ho sat upon tho edge of thy ret within the Btool cage ho 'talked ireoly of tho murdor and of the causes that lod up to It. Ho showed no remorse at his act, but soomod rather to wlBh to justify hlmsolf for tho killing. He rocountod tho differences that had grown up botwoon hlmoslf and the Akers during a period of four or five years, .the chief contention, ac cording to him, having been over his having allowed his stock to run at large. Ho said that flrBt he had raised goats, but because tlicHo trondulod bis neighbors lie had sold them And gone Into the hog business, The precinct votod not to allow bogs to run at large, and the Akera made complaint when hla bogs broke through their fencea and destroyed their cropa. Tbe matter waa taken up with the county "bfflclals, and County Attorney Miller wrote Boua man ft number of times, and finally Bouaman waa placed under bond to kcop the peace because of hla num erous threats against Mr. and Mra. Akers. This waa nearly a year ago. Trouble. Ia Itenewed " Recently it bad become necessary for the Akera to appeal to the county attorney again, and on tbe 23rd of February he had written Bouaman stating that Mr. Akers had again en tered complaint. It waa the receipt of tbta letter, Bousman aald, that bad ao enraged blm that be concluded to take tbe Uvea of hla neighbors. And tbe aged man's eyes gleamed aa be recounted the atory of tbe morning of the crime. He waa oool and satis fied, rather than sorry that be bad the blood of a worthy couple upon hla hands. "I put seven shells In my rifle and went down the road to within about a hundred yards ot tbe Akera house," be told the Courier man. 'There I bid In -the- brash by the- roadlde, knowing that 'Akera and bla wife would aoon come along on their way to Sunday school. I lay in tbe brush tor some time, and I knew when the team was hitched up and when the Akers wore ready to start. Then my heart seemed to fall me, and I thought to myself, 'I can't take tbe lives of those old people," and I started down the road. Then the Akera camo driving toward me, and tbe first thing I kntw I was shooting. Shoots at Horn First "First I fired ft shot at one of the horses. Then I ahot the woman. At that Akers got out of the wagon, though I had woundod him before be got out, and came at me with a pleco of ttoard to fight me. I kept ahootlng, and the first thing I knew I bad fired all seven shots. Then I went home." When Informed tbat both horBos were doad, Bousman claimed not to remonvber having shot the second one, and said thnj when he left the scene neither horse had fallen. The evidence ot those first on the ground would Indicate that the horse lived for some Umo after the shooting. They had gone a short distance from the road where they had been stop ped, and where Mr. and Mrs. Akers were killed, and there one horse bad' dlod. The socond horse was not yot doad, put dlod eoon after being un harnessed from Us doad mate. One (Continued on page 3) LATI LL Washington, Fob, 28. Germany has admitted lor the first time that her proposal to war on armod enemy merchant ships technically violates International law. This was the in terpretation drawn here today from United Tress Staff Correspondent Ackerman's tllapatcli,. quoting a Ger man official as charging that England "first" violated International low. If Germany takes this vlow, she is contending that the decree Is a re urlfml, though previous rinrlln re ports lndtcntrdGeriunny took the ! position that neutrals could not ex j port to bind Gormany by an obsolete 'law adopted-whn wprlvatoers and 'pirates Infested tho seas. borie had boen shot through the ADMITS INTERNATIONA i : ' m SEEKS TO STRIKEGREATBLQW mi lira London, Feb. 28. With all bis re sources the kaiser la striking tor an Immediate, overwhelming victory, In tended to end the war. Tbe past week's battling for the fortress city ot Verdun Is but the prelude to a grand assault along the western front the most tremendous offensive the world ever has seen. Simultaneously with the land op erations, the ' German submarine campaign against armed enemy, ships la due to start at midnight Tuesday. Prince Henry of Prussia has taken over ft high navy command prelim inary to this. London la tense. She awaits news that tbe German fleet is coming out Into the North sea, or tbat Zeppelins are approaching. "It Is the real thing at last," said the Times critic today. While Europe and tbe world are on edge, perhaps the greatest artillery and Infantry battle erer known rages over the ruins ot Douaumont, not far from Verdun. Tbe position has changed banda repeatedly during the ieat fevr daysv ',;,...,.. ........ Two miles west of Douaumont the French are' projecting tbe flame ot artillery across the Tain ridge and the approach to the "Pepper heights," barring the advance to Verdun. Austro-German guns are shooting tons ot explosives Into the armored slopes of the "Pepper" position In an attempt to blast the ridge away, thus opening tbe road through Bras to Verdun. ' MA ItsnFIE LD-E CG EX K R. It SERVICE BEFORE APRIL 15 Portland, Feb. 28. 'Railroad ser vice between Eugene and Marshfleld will be an actnal fact before April 15, aald John M. Scott, general pas senger agent of the Southern Pacific, returning today from an Inspection trip. A bridge across the Umpqua river Is not yet constructed, but until It Is built passengers and 'baggage will be ferrlod across. 17! PER SHED WHEH STRUCK MINE AND SUNK OFF DOVER London, Feb. 28. That the Pen insula & Oriental liner Maloja car rlod 429 persons, Including 119 pas sengers and that only 260 had been saved 'when she was mined off Dover yesterday, was the revised report ot tho admiralty today. Its statement, however, expressed the hope that further resoues would bo made. Previous figures Indicated 409 aboard, with 55 passengers and 98 crow lost. , The new figures Indicate that 171, Instead of '51, perished. London, Feb. 28. Fifty-five pas sengers and 96 members of the crew of the P. & O. liner Maloja perished when a mine exploded undor the ship off Dover, according to the latest avallablo figures today. The com pany reported 260 persons of hor 119 passengers and 292 crew bad been saved. i Tho Russian liner PetBhonga was sunk today; the seventh victim of mlnos In two days. Fiftoen of hor crew wore landed. Othor destroyed ships were: Tho British liner Empress, of Fort William, mined In going to the mm ORDER Germany's Note Reiterating fctenfoa cf Torpedoing Arced Merchant Vessels, Handed Sec. Lansing Today MaBMMs ' Washington, Feb. 28. Germany's reiteration ot Intent to torpedo arm ed enemy merchant ships beginning Wednesday was handed Secretary of State Lansing today by German Am bassador von Bernstorff. Lansing's only announcement was, "Ambassador von Bernstorff left bis government's memorandum. That Is all I can say." The German envoy was equally un communicative. ' Later, however. It was learned the memorandum contained the report of submarine commanders on a score ot cases In which, it Is alleged, Brit ish merchant men used their arma ment offensively. It also gave fur ther references to aUeged secret British admiralty orders to destroy submarines. The original copy of the alleged order, found on the seised British liner Appam, waa recently given to Lansing by von Bernstorff. .v - : The Austrian charge d'affaires visited the secretary after von Berns torff and declared Austria's views were Identical with Germany's. . HAWAILIN COLLEGE CAN NOT SHARE APPROPRIATION Washington, Feb. 28. The Hawaii college can not share In the congres sional appropriation for agricultural experiments, unless congress speci fically Includes tbat college, said a treasury ruling today. DECREE NOT A VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW Berlin, via Sayvllle, Feb. 28. Commenting upon President Wilson's letter to Senator Stone, tbe semi official North Oman , Gezette de clared today tbat the German pro clamation ot war against armed en emy merchant ships Is not a viola tion of International law. . LBIIOH Maloja's rescue; the British vessels Blrglt and Suevler; the French ves sel Trlgnac, and the Dutch steamer Mecklenburg. The bodies of 12 women and six children, victims ot the Maloja explo sion, lay today in the Dover morgue. Several survivors were dying of ex posure. Meanwhllo, . an investigation was under way to determine how the vessel was mined. The ship Bank within view of Dover. A heavy ex plosion turned the vessel keel-up and she sank within a short time. For the most part good order was main tained. ; . Forty-seven dead have been Iden tified at the Dover morgue. It Is possible the Maloja struck ono of the mines the Germans are believed to have sown off the Thames channol iby German ships operating under noutral flags. The Holland American liner Ryndam Is reliably reported to have struck one of these recently. The Maloja was a 12,431- tnn llnop ttrni iha alatnr liliv nt the destroyed liner Persia. ' ' T,l U1.ESUEL1I0F Sacramento, Feb. 28. John If. Eshelman, lieutenant-governor of California, died this morning at 5:30 at Indlo, Cat The first news was received at the governor's office at the capitol. ; ; ' . Eshelman died la the Southern Pa cific club house in the town of Indlo. His death was due to tuberculosis. Eshelman left San Francisco Fri day night for his home in Imperial, CaU He was taken ill en route and stopped off at Indlo. - Eahelman's most recent residence was In Los Angeles. He also bad a home In El Centra and was en route there when stricken with his last ill ness. The lieutenant-governor had been in ill health for number of years. In 1915 he removed tempor arily to Arizona and returned to Cali fornia In an apparently Improved condition. Be presided at tbe spe cial legislative session this year, and said be was feeling better than in some years. v , , . REPRIEVE OUIIJTfT Pi San Quentln, Cat, Feb. 28. Warden' Johnston of the state peni tentiary here will aoon release Mrs. Ruby Bartol, Mrs. Josle Horn, Otto CrelUer, Orville Taggart and Fred Hosier, serving from four to 40 year terms, and reprieved by the state prison board. The quintet, the board held, had been sentenced through a miscar riage of ' justice on misconduct charges , Involving Mrs. ' Bartol's daughter. Judge Chlld8 of Del Norte county presided in their case and afterward was acquitted under impeachment charges arising partially from this case. " The warden'a office announced to day that tbe parties would be freed as soon as they get satisfactory em ployment a condition of their par ole. 4 This may take several days. L COMMITTEE IS' TOLD Washington, Feb. 28. Naval bases in the Pacific and Carribean are 1 needed, Admiral Knight, president ot the navy war college, told the house naval committee today. ' I "If V arA in hnM tha PhlHr.nlr.Aii or to agree to protect them from out side interference, a naval base in the Pacific is necessary ,' he said. "At present we can not defend the Phil ippines and the future of trade lies in the pacific." He asked $2,000,000 tor the Car ribean base, as an immediate neces sity. He criticized the lack ot men and fast cruisers as meaning that .than half ot Its strength. He sug gested dreadnaughts ought not to be built this year, but said he would have six 35-knot battle crutsers and eight scout crulBers building within six months. Other needs, be said, are floating docks for the Pacific and Atlantic, 80 submarines of the 800-ton type and 20 destroyers. He doclared American battleships the equal of any in the world, and the officers and men efficient. COMMITTEE FAVORS REPEAT, OF SUGAR TARIFF Washington, Feb. 28. The house ways and , means committee today voted unanimously In favor of re porting Chairman Kltchln's bill re pealing the free sugar clause of the tariff law. 1 Ml lo w crescent cmr 11V BASE NEEDED TROOPS OF KAISER French tringlfj 'Eciifcrc Drire, Dd Paris hit Icss cf fiend fa S:ii London, Feb. 28. Checked at Ver dun by French reinforcements, the German crown prince's drive Is spreading to the Champagne, 40 milea west of the Verdun woods. Tho Berlin official statement today virtually confirmed the French claim that the Verdun offensive is halted. temporarily at least At the same time, Berlin reported the capture of over 1,600 yards ot trenches and the Navarln farm, the scene ot desperate conflict in last September's offensive. , ' Efficient artillery preparation pre ceded this assault, indicating that the big German bowltiers battered - the Champagne defenses as they did the French lines at the beginning ot the Verdun drive. More than 1,000 French prisoners, were taken by tbe Germans. Paris admitted the Champagne loss, attributing it to "surprise at tack." .r,." v '.' ; For the first time since the open ing of the Verdun campaign, though, Berlin claimed no important gains in that region. .The Mouse "peninsula," a strip of land five miles from Ver dun, said Berlin, has been cleared ot ' the French, who have exhausted themselves In their efforts against Douaumont and Hardaumont The Germans claimed to have pro gressed farther in tbe direction ot Vacherauville and Bras, four miles north ot Verdun, and to have gained the foot ot Cote Lorraine In the Woevre. Before Bras can be taken the Teu tons must etorm the "Pepper heights." Berlin mentioned no fight-' ing there. . ; ' , , , As for Douaumont, Paris reported the repulse ot attacks, while Berlin said the French bad worn themselves out there. ' : Attacks northwest of Fresnes have been repulsed, Paris declared.. HOUNDS LOSE SCENT ' OF JONES' MURDERER San Jose, Cal., Feb. 28. The chief hope ot the police ot capturing the murderer ot George Jones, College Park (banker, lies today in the fact that the slayer who stabbed himself in the arm when he attacked Jones will be compelled by Infection or loss ot blood to Beek medical aid. The bloodhounds; after trailing the slayer across the marshes into Ala meda county by the scent left on the top of Tules. water, two feet deep, lost the trail completely. ." . FELIX DIAZ HAS LEFT UNITED STATES Washington, Feb. 28. Included In a notable exodus ot Mexican exiles from the United States recently has been Felix Diaz, according to the Justice department today. Agents lost track ot him during tbe past week, and assume he went to Mexico. Vera Cms, Fob. 28. Official de nial that Felix Dial had landed here to head an Indian revolt in Oaxaca was made today. Government troops defeated tbe Indians 'attempting to entor Vera Crui In a clash near San Andreas Tustla.