Newport Daily (ndep Ident.
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VOLUME XVII. NO. 313. NEWPORT, ARKANSAS, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 1918. PRICE FIVE CENTS.
Greater Part Of Wytschaete Is Now In Hands Of British j
_
, Writer States
Battle Favors
British Today
STRUGGLE IS BEING WAGED
WITH GREAT INTENSITY.
Germans Have Gained No Ground
Since Tuesday Morning and Ap
J parently Have Lost Some, Says
the Correspondent.
BRITISH REPORTED ADVANCING
’ 1
BULLETIN.
4 Associated Press Dispatch.
London, April 17.— A greater
part of Wytschaete and proba
bly all of it is in the hands of
the British, Major General Mau
rice, chief director of military
operations, announces. Counter
attacking successfully at Metern
and south of that place the Bri
tish drove the Germans half way
back to Bailleul. They have ad
vanced and improved their lines
in the direction of Neuve Eg
lise i >!
I Associated Press Dispatch. 1
London, April 17.—The battle in
Flanders is raging with incredible in
tensity, a Reuters correspondent
from British headquarters in France
telegraphs. As far as the latest re
ports enable the correspondent to
judge, the battle is going in favor of
th British. Notwithstanding the des
perate attacks by the Germans, they
have gained no further ground since
Tuesday morning and apparently
have lost some. At dusk Tuesday the
British were reported to be advancing
in the neighborhood of Wytschaete.
Associated Press Dispatch.
London, April 17.—It is officially
announced the British by counter at
tack have recaptured Meteren on the
northern battlefront.
South of Arras the Germans were
driven out of British trenches, into
which they had forced themselves
early this morning. German artil
lery has become more active south of
the Somme. The British made suc
& cessful counter attacks in the neigh
borhood of Wytschaette. Repeated
German attacks north of Bailleul were
MAD A LI N E THEATER
♦ ♦
0. THE WINGED MYSTERY 0
0 A mystery that deals with 0.
0 sliding panels, masked men 0
0 ' and women, and almost out- 0
0 wits the hero. It shows the 0
0 use of the carrier pigeons. 0
0 Featuring Franklin Farnum 0
0 in a dual role, and pretty 0
0 Rosemary Theby and Sam 0
0 De Grasse. 0
4 0 5 reeds—BLUE BIRD 0
0 - ♦
0 THE TRESTLE OF IIOR- 0
ROR. 0
0 A good chapter of 0
0 THE FIGHTING TRAIL 0
0 Wiljiam puncan and Car- 0
0 roll Holloway. 0
0 2 reels—VITAGRAPH
♦ -
0 HUGS AND HUBBUB
• 0 A laughable farce comedy.
0 Comedy.
0 VITAGRAPH
0 8,000 feet of high class pic
0 tures—First show starts at
0 7:30.—Admission with War
01 Tax 10 and 13 Cents,
t* 0 -
0 Thursday 1
0 PRIMROCK JONES, Star
0 ring Wallace Reed— Para
♦ mount.
.
■■■Mi a—
AAXAAAAAAAi
******** - ^
LONDON ADMITS
SITUATION IS BAD
However, Lloyd George Says Nothing
Vital Has Been Lost and Com
manders Are Confident.
Associated Press Dispatch.
New York, April 17— Having
driven the British from Bailleul and
Wytschaete, the Germans are battling
desperately to gain other points high
on the ridge south and southwest of
Ypres. The British are resisting dog- i
gedly.
It is admitted in London that the
situation is more serious than at any
time since the German drive in the
north began. Lloyd George, in the
House of Commons, however, said he
was hopeful of the situation, adding
that both Gen. Plumer, the British
commander in the Messines area, and
Gen. Foch, the allied commander-in
chief, are both confident. “Nothng
vital,” the premier said, “has been
lost.”
In capturing Wytschaete and the
heights of Spanbrocqmolen to the
southwest the Germans drove the
British from high ground at the
southern tip of Messines-Passchend
daele ridge, which extends fourteen
miles from Wulvergham to Passchen
daiele. Ypres lies four miles north
of Wytschaete.
The British repulsed German ef
forts at other points on the front of
Wytschaete to Givenchy.
German attacks have broken out
south of Arras, and an attack south
of Boyelles was repulsed. To the
south around Albert and across the
Somme river German artillery fire
has increased. Bombardment is vio
in the Mnntdidier sector.
The Germans have not repeated
their attacks in the American sector
around St. Mihiel. American patrols
crossed No-Man’s Land, and reached
the German entanglements without
molestation.
In Macedonia the Bulgarians were
driven from ten villages northeast of
Saloniki.
THIRD READING
BEEN ADOPTED
Assiciated Press Dispatch.
London, April 17.— The House of
Commons last night adopted the third
j reading of the government man-pow
er bill by a majority of one hundred
and ninety-eight.
LIVES LOST AS
STEAMERS MEET
Associated Press Dispatch.
At an Atlantic Port, April 17.—
n/MTY.n llirnn urnVA Irtof UrVlOM Tno
American steamship, 0. B. Jennings
and a British steamer, the War
Knight, both laden with napatha, col
lided off the British coast, according
to members of the crew Jennings,
who arrived today. All fatalities, ex
cept one, were aboard the War
Knight.
REP. JONES
DIESTODAY
Associated Press Dispatch.
Washington, April 17.—Represent
ative Jones, of Virginia, died today
from the effects of a stroke of paral
ysis suffered more than a week. ago.
repulsed, the Germans suffering
heavy losses.
Associated Press Dispatch.
London, April 17.—According to an
Exchange Telegraph dispatch from
Paris the Germans have advanced
from Wytschaete as far as Steloi and
also have a grip on the southern
slopes of Mt, Kemmel.
Associated Press Dispatch.
London, April 17.—British positions
before Yypres have been withdrawn
to a new line.
► Associated Press Dispatch.
. Paris, April 17.— Heavy aritllery
► fighting occurred last night on the
► principal battlefront between the
► | Somme and Oise rivers, the war of
i if ice reports.
»
BLEAKLEY BUYS
HOLSTEIN COWS
Progressive Citizen of Auvergne Re
turns Wednesday from Missouri,
Where He Purchased Stock.
F. L. Bleakley of Auvergne arrived
in Newport Wednesday morning over
the Missouri Pacific from Missouri
points, where he purchased twenty
head of Holstein cows. Six of the
cows were purchased by eorge R.
Hays and! Joe L. Bevens, and the re
mainder of the shipment will be plac
ed on Mr. Bleakley’s farm at Au
vergne.
Mr. Bleakley, who is one of the
cunty’s progressive farmers and mer
chants, has done a great deal for the
livestock industry in Jackson county,
and the ndeplendent hopes to see oth
ers follow his example.
MORE MONEY EOR
R. R. EMPLOYES
Associated Press Dispatch.
Washington, April 17.— The rail
road wage commission has completed
recommendations for wage increases,
the report to be submitted to Director
General McAdoo when he returns
from a Liberty Loan speaking tour.
Nothing is known as to the amount of
increases recommended, although it is
said employees receiving small pay
will be given the largest advances.
GFRMANS PAYING
DEARLY FOR GAINS
London, April 17.—“You could have
shot them down with your eyes shut,”
said a wounded machine gunner on
the western front, according to the
con-espondent there of the Daily Mail
“We fired straight into them and
they went down in heaps, yet we
could not stop then*. It was one
down and another came on.”
The correspondent quotes other re
marks from wounded soldiers which
are indicative of the unconquerable
spirit of the British defenders and
which bear further testimony to the
terrible toll the Germans are paying
for every foot they advance. The
correspondent says wounded soldiers
agreed that the Germans outnumber
ed the defenders at least two to one.
“Aye, we’re never far away,” a
wounded Highlander replied to the
r. mark of the correspondent that the
Highlanders seemed to be in all the
battles. He told how his regiment
was on a canal bank when the Ger
mans tried to cross.
“The advance on both flanks, com
ing up on either side in the attempt
to get across,” he said. “We were
told to hold our fire and waited un
til they were well in view. Then
there were hundreds before us be
for we let fire. Man, it was murder
ous.”
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' —
I
District Agricultural Agent Says Peo
ple of County Have Demonstrated
Patriotism Throughout.
While this is a time when none
should seek personal honor for work
well done, there is a degree of satis
faction to be found in the fact that
the achievements of Jackson county
have attracted more than ordinary at
tention. A very deserved compliment
of the people of the county came last
night from the lips of J. E. McKell of
Little Rock, district agricultural
agent, who spent yesterday in New
port. Mr. McKell said no county of
that state had outstripped Jackson in
any undertaking having to do with
war work, and added that the farmers
have played a great part in bringing
about these achievements.
“Ever since the war began I have
had my eye on Jackson county,” Mr.
McKell said. “You people here have
not fallen down on anything, and the
way you oversubscribed to the Third
Liberty Loan was splendid, and that
so many farmers bought bonds is a
source of great satisfaction to my
department.
“I wish to state, also,” Mr. McKell
continued, “that crops are looking
splendid in Jackson county and the
farmer is doing his utmost to con
tribute a great share of foodstuff for
the sustenance of the allies.”
Mr. McKell paid a very deserved
compliment to Mr. and Mrs. Geo. H.
Banks, who are in charge of farm
demonstration work here, and said
they, together with newspaper pub
licity, have been a strong iactor in
making the several campaigns a suc
i cess in Jackson county.
__
BARON BURIAN
MADE MINISTER
_
Associated Press Dispatch.
Amsterdam, April 17.—Baron Bur
ian has been appointed Austro-Hun
gary foreign minister, to succeed
Cunt Czernin, according to Vienna
dispatches. Burian also retains the
portfolio of Minister of Finance.
RIVER-HARBOR
BILL IS PASSED
Associated Press Dispatch.
Washington, April 17.—The house
today passed the Rivers and Harbors
bill carrying appropriations of ap
proximately twenty million dollars.
It now goes to the senate.
. .. ■ 1 —»
Coming to the Madaline Theatre:
Mary Garden in “Thais”; Mae
Marsh in “Polly of the Circus”; “The
Auction Block,” Rex Beach; “Intol
lerance” (better than “Birth of a
Nation); “The Whip,” an extra
good feature. Watch for dates.
MAN MEETS DEATH
BY ELECTROCUTION
J. K. Dotson Is Killed Instantly This
Morning When He Grasps Live
Electric Wire.
1 __________
i
J. K. Dotson, driver of an oil wagon
for the Standard Oil Company in
Newport, met instant death at 5
o’clock this morning when he grasped
an electric wire which was fully
charged. The man was found a few
minutes later by George Gish, night
engineer at the light plant, and Paul
Green, local manager for the Stan
dard Oil Company. The man was ly
ing on the ground, two fingers burned
from his hand, and still had the elec
tric wire in a tight grasp.
It is supposed Dotson had gone to
the Standard Oil Company stock barn
in the southern part of town with the
intention of hitching up his team. As
he started into the bam lot he found
a wire that Ihadi become loose and
stretched across a telephone wire.
The wire was swinging in front of
the gate, and Dotson attempted to
lift the wire and walk underneath to
the gate. The ground on which he
was standing was very dam^ and
contact with the electrically changed
wire brought instant death.
Coroner Nolen held an inquest over
the body this morning, the jury re
turning a verdict which stated Dot
son met death by coming in contact
with a live electrical wire.
Mr. Dotson, with his family, a wife
and two children, moved to Newport
from Missouri four or five months
ago, and are splendid people, who
have the sympathy of our people.
FROST HURTS
KING COTTON
Associated Press Dispatch.
Washington, April 17.—The nation
al weather crop bulletin today an
nounced the low temperatures , of the
past week was detrimental to cotton
and considerable was killed by frost
from Texas eastward to western
Georgia.
ENGLAND ATTENDS MEETING.
Special to Independent.
Little Rock, April 17.—General
Lloyd England, chairman of the State
Council of Defense, has returned from
Washington, where he was called to
attend a conference of the National
Council and a conference to consider
plans for the Americanization of
aliens.
General England was told that
Washington is much gratified by the
work being done by the Arkansas
CnnneiTi—its thoroughness, its re£T
ularity of meeting, its attention to
detail, and the spirit of co-operation
that has been inspired through the
smaller units.
He held conferences with the war
department, and was assured that
steps would be taken immediately af
ter federal recognition of the Fourtt
iegiment to equip the men with gum
and to provide them with uniforms
for which a liberal appropriation
would be made. It may become neces
sary to uuy the clothing in the open
market, but General England assurec
them that this would be done.
A training camp for officers, botl
commissioned and non-commissiioned
will also be authorized. Further thai
this, General England had no infor
mation.
CAMP PIKE PASTOR AT
BAPTIST CHURCH TONIGHT
Rev. J. O. Johnston, the pastor a
Camp Pike, will speak tonight at th
Baptist church. This is the man wh
nas done such a great work amon;
the soldiers at Camp Pike, and hi
message will be of interest to all wh
are interested in the welfare of ou
boys in the training camps of th
army. There are few in our lan
now, if any, who are not deeply intei
ested in this cause, and this oppoi
tunity of hearing a message froi
the man who is working among on
men in the camps ought to appeal t
all. Every one is cordially invited t
the service. His subject will be, “
City Without a Tablecloth.” The sei
vice will begin promptly at 8 o’clocl
so try to be on time.
DUE AND j
TUPELO STORM 1
VICTIMS TODAY j
I
* -
HEAVY DAMAGE IS DONE EABLT
THIS MORNING.
. r '.'i. - ! ’ V''
Mrs. Puckett Near Tupelo May Dio
From Injuries and Stores At Tu
pelo and Churches and Schools , jig
at Auvergne Are Ruined.
GOETZ’S STORE IS STRUCK*
A lady named Mrs. Puckett, aged JH
about 35 years, who resides one-half ''Jig
mite northeast of Tupelo, wjlll probably;
die from injuries received at ls4g i$SM|
o’clock this morning when a heavy S
storm struck and totally demolished ‘3
her dwelling, according to passed- J|
gers arriving in Newport at noon ofW 3
the Rock Island. Mrs. Puckett is the
only person reported seriously
jured by the storm which did a great lj|
deal of property damage both at ’4 |jj
Tupelo and Auvergne this morning. - ;|||j|
At Auvergne the home of Chester
Corley was struck by the storm, and^^aS
Mrs. Corley slightly injured. , * f|
At Tupelo the large brick store* V
house of Crittenden-Snapp MercUn*-^! j|
tile Company was totally <temoliibdct*|| jl|
The heavy wind struck the buildld|f||
and caved the walls in on both sidetj^f 9s
the stocks of merchandise being ruffles
cd by the heavy impact and the tailkjlj |S|
that followed. The store of J. pOgj Jfl
Gardner was damaged to the
ui DiuiaTi wiuuuwa auu ouiuv/
brick falling. Mr. Gardner’s aftigjj|*J
house was blown down, together, with '’-iMjmi
one of his barns. Several smiXjlfi 'jfl
houses were blown clown in Tupelo. • iSm
In Auvergne the Methodist ehvdi \jj ilHB
and Baptist church of th^ white peo*%|j wifi
pie and the Methodist and
churches, lodge hall and school bofciee^J Jill
used by the negroes are said to heffWJ^ slj
The servant house and garage of , ffjHg
Jim Davis, a well known citizen ef
Auvergne, was damaged. ^^111^111
A heavy rain and hail storm- J||||
companied the high winds and . .mttttfeol] vH
damage is said to have been done t»
A telephone message from TlidMgi^H|||
man this morning said hail and
did a great amount of damage in the^j|^j!|
vicinity of Goetz's store, three.
east of Tuckerman, last night. Win- .JaHS
dows in the store of Mr. Goetz weBHj|j |ll§ij
broken and hail damaged the crop. i
On the James farm and Sam H*gfrJg3BB
vey farms much damage resulted*.; •^'3 JbH
E. E. Ilemdon of Elgin was in
city today and said a storm six mttea»jj|B|||
north of Newport, near the Jad^S|H
Street bridge, completely demolished |ji|B
the dwelling in which Hug$tJSfig|j|
Davis lived, slightly ‘injuring
Davis. Two barns were torn
The Independent has been imabi^fl§g||
to learn oi any otner damage iu
county.
Th telephone lines all over
county were practically placed out
service by last night’s storm, and
communication with the places
fected was possible today. _