Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 January 1915 — Page 3

GERMAN BATTLESHIP BREAKS THE BLOCKADE

The German battleship Von der Tann. which is said to have broken through the blockade established in the North sea by the British fleet, and started across the Atlantic to Join the cruiser Karlsruhe. g;

ARE BEST OF FORTS

United States Defenses, However, Are Short of Men. Works on Corregldor Almost as Impregnable as Gibraltar or Helgoland —Great Fortifications Which Guard National Capital. By EDWARD B. CLARK. (Staff Correspondent Western Newspaper Union.) Washington.—Since the war broke out in Europe much has been heard about Helgoland as an impregnable fortress. In some statements it has been said that next to Gibraltar, Helgoland is the hardest fortress nut to crack in the whole world. Now comes the United States to maintain that it has a fortress that Is not only not second to Helgoland in strength, but perhaps not even to Gibraltar itself. Army and navy men seem to think that the fortress of Corregidor which guards the entrance to Manila in the Philippines can hold off any of the world’s forces and absolutely prevent any possibility of successful attack on Manila by way of its immediate front.

Corregidor only recently has been put into trim. Now it is understood that its big guns are all manned and that soon it will have a trained force of men equal to the occasion of working the weapons of offense for a period as protracted as any war is likely to be. In some respects it is said Corregidor resembles Gibraltar.

Much has been written recently about the fortifications on the sea coasts of the continental United States. During the discussions in the committees of congress on the subject of the military preparedness of the Ignited States it has been said that our forts and our guns are all right, but that we have not men enough to man them. From the report of the chief of coast airtillery, General Weaver, it is apparent that what has been said Just about sums up the situation. Congress it is expected will provide men enough to man our guns, for otherwise we will be in a position of haying spent a lot of money for tools which we cannot ÜB6.

In the year 1814 the British attacked Washington. In order to reach this city today a foreign foe, unless it can land an army, will be compelled to run by the fortifications at the mouth of Chesapeake bay and by other fortifications which protect the reaches of the lower Potomac.

Fortress Monroe, which is one of the guardß to' the entrance of the Chesapeake, is an old post and the layman who looks at it and Bees the old parapets with their granite facings cannot conceive that it would withstand the shots from modern guns. The truth is that old Fortress Monroe is occupied only for show purposes and for The uses of peaceful garrison life. Connected with the old fort are the new fortifications with their big disappearing guns. Fortress Monroe commands not only the entrance to the Chesapeake but the entrance to the James river.

In Hampton Roads, whose waters are at the mouth of the James and mingle with those of the ocean, there is a lbw-lylng American fort with powerful guns. It is an aid to Fortress Monroe, and between the two any slept, no matter how powerful, would have a hard time of it trying to break an entrance either into the James river or Chesapeake bay. Recently the government purchased land on Cape Henry and there another

BOMBS HURLED LIKE A BALL

French Devise Scheme Whereby Fuse Is Bet After the Grenade Is Thrown. Paris.—The hand grenade devised by the French to throw into the enemy’s trenches when they are within reach is about as large as a baseball. A string, tied to the wrist of the thrower, pulls out a plug from the ball after it has left the hand. A spring is released, which sets the fuse for the explosive charge going. This fuse may be regulated from one second to two three seconds, or intermediate jtbea it reaches the hostile trench.

fort is to be built. Ships trying to get into Chesapeake or to the James would find themselves under fire from the Cape Henry guns they get within range of the Fortress Monroe or the Hampton Roads guns. It iB believed by military experts that no fleet in the world ever can force its way into Chesapeake bay or the James river thence to go with its lighter draft vessels by the water route either to Baltimore, Washington or Richmond.

ARTIST HONORED BY FRENCH

“Hansi” Who Ridiculed German Control of Alsace-Lorraine, Gets Decoration. Paris.—The Alsatian caricaturist M. Waltz, who Is known as “Hansi,” has been decorated with the Legion of Honor. Some time before the war broke out “Hansi” was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment at Leipzig for cartoons he drew ridiculing everything German in Alsace-Lorraine. He escaped, however, and volunteered as an interpreter in the French army. He has been mentioned in dispatches for his courage and as being a splendid example for his comrades.

OFFICER SLAYS 15

Performs Daring Exploit With Homemade Bombs. Crawls-in Dark to German Trenches, Destroys Machine Gun and Kills Enemy’s Soldiers With Hand Grenades Made by Himself.

By FRANKLIN P. MERRICK.

International News Service Correspondent. Paris. —With three bombs made by himself, an officer of engineers of the British army has just performed an exploit worthy of chronicling. He crept up to the German trenches and killed 15 Germans, besides destroying a machine gun, ... i This sapper was stationed at a point of the battle line where the British and German trenches are near to each other. He fitted up a laboratory in a farm house in which he was quartered and here he began to manufacture hand grenades. These be decided to test personally. A few dozen yards before the first British line was a German trench iu which was posted a machine gun that had killed many English. The trench was cleverly built in sections, so that the British could not capture one point and then fire down the trench. It was like a row of oldfashioned church pews, each pew say six yards long with about five Germans in it. The machine gun was posted in a pew so situated that it could sweep the whole front for a long distance. Before it was a shield and a parapet. The British officer selected a time when it was quite dark and crawled carefully to within about a dozen yards of the machine gun’s position. He carried one of his homemade bombs in each side pocket and another in his hand. He hurled the first right In next to the machine gun. There was a terrific explosion and the single man In the trench to remain alive screamed with pain. The machine gun was hopelessly wrecked. The Germans along the line did not realize what had happened. The bold sapper was not content with tho damage he had wrought, so instead of crawling back to safety, he leaped infb the trench with the machine gun »md the dead and dying Germans. The compartments of the trench were connected by passageways, making an angle. The Germans in the compartment next to that of the machine gun were in an uproar, firing in the direction of the British lines and evidently believing...the allies were delivering a general attack. The Englishman hurled his Becond bomb among them. Five or six Germans were torn to shreds. Into the second compartment the sapper crawled and cast this third and last bomb into the next group along the line. The effect was a* great ns before. To clear opt the time eompart"metfts of "the crefihh'had' been the' work of not more than three minutes.

THE EVENING REPUBLICAN, RENSSELAER, IND.

IS NOW CALLED KAISERBERG

Germans Give New Name to Town off Czenstochowa In Russian Poland. Petrograd.—You will look in vain for the city of Kaiserberg on the map of Russian Poland, and little will you suspect that this name stands with the Germans for the ancient city of Czenstochowa, but Kaiserberg it is at present, and the Inhabitants are forced, under threat of severe penalties, to speak of it as such. This is another proof of the Germans’ tactful policy toward the Poles whom the invaders are supposed to win over to their side, for Czenstochowa to the Poles is what Mecca is to the Mussulmans, and no greater insult to the national pride and faith could be imagined than the renaming of the ancient fortress. “Kaiserberg now, Kaisergrab (kaiser’s grave) in a few weeks hence," is the prophecy of the refugees from the invaded part of Russian Poland.

Approves the Princess.

■*- Berlin.—While distributing gifts at Camnez, the German crown princess was approached 'by a soldier of the landsturm battalion, who, unaware of her identity, said: “You’re a mighty nice girl- When I get back from the war I’m going to marry you."

After completing his task, the officer wriggled back to his own lines unharmed.

BRITAIN’S GREAT AVIATOR

Flight Commander Claude GrahamWhite, at the right, in conversation with British army officers and a French aviator “somewhere in France.” (Name deleted by censor.)

‘WIDOW’S MITE’ FOR WOUNDED

French Servarit Earning Ten Cents an Hour Gives SSO to Red Cross. Paris.—A Paris woman servant ov ,the numerous class which works out at ten cents an hour haß given no less a sum than SSO for the French wounded. Her employer had difficulty In making her confess it. When she did own up to it, she explained that though the Red Cross agent had advised her strongly to keep her savings for a fainy day she had got round his objections by showing certificates for further savings of $2,000.

HONOR GRANT’S SON-IN-LAW

Prince Cantacuzene Decorated by Czar for Bravery in Campaign in Galicia. Washington. Prince Cantacuzene, husband of Julia Dent Grant has been decorated by the czar for heroism the Galician campaign, and Wilhelm von Rath has received the iron cross for distinguished service on the French and Russian' frontiers. Von Rath, who is engaged to be married to Cecilia May, has been Invalided to May is a guest He was formerly a* tached to the German embassy here.

BASEBALL

Chicago hopes are said to include a trade of “Kid" Gleason for Frits Maisel of the New Yorks. • * * It Is announced that Patsy Donovan and Tony McCarty will be the Boston club’s scouts this season. • • * It’s a long way to Tipperary, but It’s a longer way to the home plate If you are a Nap standing on third base. * * • “dollins Sold Because He Was a Trouble-maker,” says a headline. He was—for seven American league clubs. • * * If the magnates don’t want to wait for the papers next season to find out the scores they might set up tickers in the courtrooms. * • * The St. Louis Cardinals will train at Hot Wells, near San Antonio, and will play the Cleveland team in exhibitions in the early spring. • * • The passing of Wiltse and Donlin from the Giants opens opportunities for minor leagues that want managers. Both are heady men in the game. * * » •Andrew J. Coakley, the former pitcher of the ex-world’s champion Athletics, and Holy Cross star, will coach the 1915 Columbia university nine. , * • • During the spring and summer Ernest Quigley umpires baseball; during the fall he’s a football umpire and he puts in the winter umpiring basketball. In the other seasons he takes his vacation. * * • If It hadn’t been for the Cincinnati newspapers the Reds would have supplanted Charley Herzog with another manager. Herzog, it seems, had all the scribes with him this year, something unusual in Porkville.

PUGILISM

Ted Lewis, touted as the welterweight champion of Europe and Australia, shaded “Young” Jack O’Brien in a fast bout at Philadelphia. * * * Sid Mercer may get entire charge of boxing in New York, which will be sad news to certain parties who subsist upon putting things over. * * * “Kid” Williams, bantamweight champion of the world, gave Johnny Daly a severe trouncing in a ten round bout, at the Pioneer Athletic club in New York. * * * Newark, N. J., is hunting already for the 1916 national boxing championships, to celebrate the two hundred and twenty-fifth birthday of the Jersey metropolis.

HORSE RAGING

The 2:30 list now is upwards of 50/ 000 strong, 60 per cent being trotters. • * • The Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin and lowa state fairs have agreed to cut out the $5,000 and $lO,000 stake events. * * * Eileen, 2:14%,*by R. Ontime, is regarded as one of the best pacing prospects in Ohio. Recently he was sold for a long price and will be campaigned again next season.

WRESTLING

George Bothner has quit wrestling. He began at thirteen, and never trained by the usual methods. He is now forty-eight, and recently threw Myake, the Jap, in New York.

FOOTBALL

Football and baseball are the only self-supporting branches of athletics at Princeton, according to the annual report of the athletic commission. * * * Robert Zuppke will be a fixture in the University of Illinois football department until 1920, through a con-, tract tendered him by the Illini authorities recently. - |

SKATING

Julian T. Fitzgerald of the Northwestern Skating club was re-elected president of the Western Skating association. * * • Edmund Lamy, the champion professional ice skater of the world, wants a tryout with the Ottawa (Canada) hockey team, and will be given a chance to make good this winter.

I MISCELLANEOUS The Irish-American Athletic club runners have won every cross-country championship race in New York this falL •• • x Manitoba will very likely hold the 1915 annual track and field championship of the Amateur Athletic Union of Canada. i--, « • « Syracuse is the latest city to express a desire to secure the 1916 Olympic games, planning tobold themJn.thp Syracuse ‘university stadium, ~ which will seat 40,000 spectators.

PLAN SERIES OF INTERNATIONAL MATCHES

The visit of Edward Ray, Harry Vardon and other English golfers to this country last year prompted talk in golfing circles of having annually a series of international golf matches similar to those of the Davis cup tennis series. Nothing official has been announced regarding the movement, but it is re-" ported that one of the leading golf clubs In this country is referring the idea to the British golf authorities and

SPORTING EVENTS OF YEAR

United States Loses Grip in Big Classics—Carried Off Honors in One International Event. The past year has been a notable one in sports despite the blight of the European war. Many worthy deeds have been done and some records have fallen. America’s pre-eminence in sports of other years is gone, for in only one international competition did the United States carry off the honors. This victory was. the triumph of Harvard’s second crew in the grand challenge cup race at Henley, England. England’s best and German and other crews were beaten. Two American crews, the Crimson and Union Boat club of Boston, fought It out in the finals. The trophy gained would usually remain in America one year, but on account of the war the Henley regatta of next summer is to be given up and there is no telling how long the crew will harbor this blue ribbon of the rowing world. The Australian team won the famous Davis tennis cup brilliantly. But Maurice E. McLoughlin earned the recognized title of tennis champion of the world—only to be defeated two weeks later in the American national tournament In polo the English Hurlingham club defeated the Meadowbrooks in two straight games. England also won

James E. Sullivan, Late SecretaryTreasurer of the Amateur Athletic Union.

the four-mile college relay championship at Philadelphia. There was little International interest in golf. ’ Ijx football Harvard won the socalled intercollegiate championship for the third time. A feature of the gridiron season Was the remarkable records of Washington and Jefferson, Rutgers and other "small college” teams. The athletic year was marked by the universally mourned death of James E. Sullivan, secretary-treasurer of the* American Athletic union and the man who had done the most to further field and track athletics not only in the-United States, -but in the world. Many athletic records were made.

Harry Vardon, English Golfer.

that an offer of a cup has already been made by the American club. British golfers, both men and women, have at times during the past ten years played more or less frequently in American tournaments, and Americans have made still more frequent appearances in England, but the contests have lacked the well-defined arrangement which would be brought about by competition along the lines of the Davis cup tennis series.

Howard P. Drew equaled the 100yard record of 9 3-5 seconds credited! to Dan Kelly. George Parker equaled the world's record of 211-5 seconds,for . the 220 yards. Homer Baker hung up new figures of 1:20 2-5 for the 660 1 yards, while D. 8. Caldwell of Cornell covered a half mile in 1:53 .2-5. E. Beeson made a new running high Jump record of 6 feet and 7 5-16 inches. In baseball the Boston Braves, after a wonderful spurt to the top of the National league, decisively defeated the Philadelphia Athletics for the world’s title. National league batting honors went to Jake Daubert of Brooklyn, while Ty Cobb was his contemporary of the American. In pitching James of Boston, in the National, and Leonard of Boston, in the American league, shone brightest

According to an announcement made by the Cleveland boxing commission, ringside decisions will be allowed in that city. Instead of the decisions being given by the referee, however, the commission will appoint two Judges for each club, and these gentlemen will render the verdict In the event that the judges disagree, provision Is made for the referee to cast the deciding vote. In order to protect the public the commission will also decide who * will be the referee of the club when it applies for a license to run a show. •

Charley Brickley, the former Harvard football captain, may become a gridiron coach. The New York university is among the schools after hia> services. Brickley the other day expressed a desire to go into business in New York city next year and to coach a local college tqam during the winter months, He declared he would, accept only a contract calling for aj term of years, so that he could havesufficient time to mold a championship eleven. - -

Now they’re naming Arthur Hofmaa|gj to succeed Bill Bradley as manager of thMJrooklyn Feds. ~^^l

Princeton Swimmers Victors

■ The ■ Princeton swimmers -heat the College of the City of New York h* the score of 40 to 13.

NEW WAY TO INCITE INTEREST IN HIMSELF

A 1 McCoy, middleweight pretender, who gained fame by knocking out George Chip in a round, seems to have discovered a new way to incite interest in his ring doings. Evidently he borrowed the idea from the fake wrestlers, who have long used the trick. These gentlemen found that when it was Impossible to gain popularity unpopularity would serve their purpose just as well. That gave .McCoy his cue, and now it appears his one ambition is to rouse the ire of the spectators by making use of every foul trick known to the ring. The natural result is that when MoCoy’s name appears on the bill the clubhouse is crowded by by those who come to see him soundly thrashed.

Decision Contests at Cleveland.

Brickley as a Coach.

Job for Artie Hofman.