Wilkes-Barre Sunday Independent

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SUNDAY INDEPENDENT
LEASED WIRE TELEGRAPH REPORT TO 3 A. M. SUNDAY
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THE W EATHER
Washington, March 17.—Fairi t Sunday and Monday: not much;; * change  in  temperature.  
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PRICE FIVE CENTS
The Only Sunday Newspaper Published in Luierne County
WILKES-BARRE. PA.. SUNDAY/ MARCH  18.  1917
Entered at Wllkes-Barre. Pa., as Second Class MaU Matter.
PRICE FIVE CENTS
RAILROADERS STRIKE ON SEVERAL LINES;
DOUBT NEW NOTICE OF POSTPONEMENT
DEPOSED ROYAL FAMILY OF RUSSIA
BY BRITISH
Gibraltar of the Western Front Falls Before United Attack and Germans Are Driven to Defeat After Bitter Struggle. French Report Success
A NOTABLE CAMPAIGN
London. March 17.—Field Marshal Haig tonight formally announced the taking of Bapaume by British forces. Le Trans«oy was also taken, he said. The biggest day's advance which the British forces ha^e made in the big drive on the Ancre was reported.
Hritlsh troops advanced and entered lhe enemy's positions on a frontage of 16 mile.-!, he declared, In detaUlng cap¬ ture of both Bapaume and Le Transloy. wUh a number of other villages..
•South of the Somme," General Haig said, "we entered the enemy's poalttons on a front of 16 miles, oc¬ cupying  numerous  vUlages.
•North of the Somme, besides Ba¬ paume, wii have taken numerous vil¬ lages. Including Le Transloy."
•Stlft fighting with the German rear guards preceded the taking of Ba¬ paume. The city was found systemat¬ ically pillaged and all buildings, public and prl\"ate. were destroyed, all ^'al- uables being carried off."
'To the north," the report continued, "wc occupied Le Transloy, Blthucourt, Achlet le Grand BlefvUlers, Achlet le Pent, Ablalnrevtlle, Bucquoy and Es- sarts.
"To the east and north of Arras we guefEM*tul'y raided the enemy's posl- tnms and reached his sapport line. Two machine gons and a number of pris¬ oners were taken.
"Astride the Somme we advanced rapidly du?-lng the day. To the south we occupied Fresnes, Horgny, Villers, Carbonnel, Barleux, Etterplgny and La Maisonette."
••In a 20 minute encounter between eicht of our aeroplanes and sixteen of the enemy, the latter's squadron forma¬ tion was destroyed and two were brought down. Two were damaged. Two of oui machines are unaccounted for."
Bapaume. the city which Field Mar¬ shal von Hindenburg dubbed the "Gib¬ raltar of fhe western front," Is in Bri¬ tish hands tonight. It's occupancy by Field Marshal Halg's troops completes a sweep forward which began a month ago when the Germans first began find¬ ing their positions on the Ancre ren¬ dered untenable by the terriftlc hail of flre which the British have poured un- ceasingly on that terrain. It marks the greatest advance at the smallest cost of men that has been achieved on the western front since the Germans made the advances at the outset of the war.
Because cf the strength and peculiar position of the new British position at Bapaume ahd the old positions around Arraa, which project out like twin arms, England looks for a general further retirement by the Germans of the whole Arras-Bapaume line to avoid an encircling movement by the British. That would add some twelve square miles of n«.w territory to the Brttlsh gains already registered.
Begun a month ago, with a retire¬ ment that was heralded by scarcely any resistance to the British advance, the German retreat during the last few days has developed Into a retirement under bitter flghting. The Germans fought back fiercely. On Thursday, correspondents at the front reported British outfiosts within a few hundred yards of the Bapaume defenses. De¬ tails of the Tictorious flghting which carried the British troops over these last obstacles were eagerly awaited here tonight
Berlin RapoPt.
Beriln vi* Sayville wlreleaa. Mar. 17.—Temporarj' enlivening of fighting on the front from A\Te to the Oise and on the eastern bank of the Meuse was tha only action reported in the second offlclal statement late to-day. On the Macedonian front the atatement said Freneh attacks between Ochrlda and Prespa Lakes and northeast of Monas- tlr were repulsed. North of Monastir, ftohtiiig still continues.
Frereh   Claim   Victory
Paris, Mar. 17.—Refusing battle Gennan forces from Audechy to the Oise abandoned under powerful French pressure cleverly fortified Unes which they had held fe>r more than two years according to the official statement to¬ night.
"We pressed forward rapidly and our advanced posts entered Roye be¬ hind the enemy contingents who blew up the cross roads," the statement continued. "Eight hundred civlliana whom the Germans did not have time to send away welcomed our forces en- thusiiis tically.
"Tc the northeast, LAasigny, which w* occupied, was reached and also places beyond the road from Roye to Noyou.
•In reprisal for the Germans' action inhuming Bapaume, one of our aero- p^^es on 8iiturda>- bombarded Frank- f»rt-on-tl>*-Maln."
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WILSON MOVES' TO STOP STRIKE
 . f
Postponement Until Monday Nighti of Order For Tie- Up Meets Interfecence on Part of Many Hundreds Who Walked Out When Official Orders Are IMayed.,
ROAD REFUSES TO CHAJfiGEl PLAN
AFlERBinER FIGHT OVER CONTROL M
London Hears That All Have Resigned and New' Forces Will Direct War
MOVE WAS FORESEEN
Picture shows the czar, czarina and their five children: Left to right: Grand Duchess Marie. Cazrina Alexandra. Grand Duchesa Tatiana, Grand Duchess i.)lkga, the czar. Grand Duchess Anastasia, and below. Grand Duke .'\lexis, heir to the throne, who abdicated with his father. Mystery surrounds the whereabouts of the czar and his family. Reports are conflicting and no assurance has been given of the safety of the royal personages. Russia has been a moneircy for 300 years.
London, March 17.—The Fren.ch cab- inet has resigned. Paris dispatches here tonight  asserted.
The cabinet of Aristide Briand has had numerous ups and downs siAce last F^aU. The opposition in the last few weeks had grown to such an extent that collapse of the Ministry was pre¬ dicted on all sides. Minister of War Lyautey resigned early in th«> wc'sk after a stormy scene in the chamber of deputies when the opposition refusftd to permit him to make an explanation after criticisms of the aviation, cervlre. Premier Briand appointed Admiral Lacaze, Minister of Marine, temi'orarily as both War and Marine Minister.
The last cabinet reorganization oc¬ curred Dec.* 12. At that time Briand remodelled his ministers on the plAn Just then adopted In England—namely a snruill, compact "war council" with the larger body of ministers not ictive- ly ia charge of France's war mo'es, e:t- cept through the war council.^ This council included five ministers—Briand as premier and foreign minister*: min¬ ister of nnance, Rlbot; minister of war, Lyautey; minister of marine, Lacaze, and minister of muniticns and manufactures. Thomas.
A week ago the Briand cabinet suc¬ ceeded in obtaining a vote of confi¬ dence In the house of deputies, but it was pointed out at that time that 200 members of the opposition purposely absented themselves. It was co-iceded the opponents of Briand, If th.-y d?- slred, could, at any time defeat a vote of confldence.
The exact reasons behind the criti¬ cism of the cabinet have not been made clear, except as they relate to seneral disposition to assail the ministry for Inadequacy  and  inefficiency.
RUSSIA A DEMOCRACY; ROYAL FAMILY HIDDEN
Officials Are Made Prisoners of Army Garrisons and Three. Hundred Years of Monarchy Ends in Dramatic Manner. No Violence Toward Royalty is Feared
Fashionable New York Hotel Gives Police a Mystery With Jumble of Names
WIFE IS STRANGLED
BLACK SEA FLEET JOINS WITH NEW RULERS
POSITION  WANTED.   :
Who wants a cleancut young man. SO years of age, who does mechanlc^U and electrical drafting, in fact, reneral draftsman. Bookkeeping and steno¬ graphy, salesman or illustrating.? I ¦peak six languages fluently. Unfore¬ seen circumstances make 1: necessary for me to apply for a position at pre.'^- ent. Am willing to work and worjt hard to get located permantly. Highest and best of references, local or othervlse. I need a position. Write Box 16, Sunday Independent, Wllkes-Barre, Pa.
Geneva, March 17.—The Russian Black Sea fleet has announced its sup¬ port of the new Russian pri^visional government, according to despatches received here tonight via Sofia Abdication Dramatic.
Petrograd, March 17.—Abditition of Czar Nicholas, Irom the throne of the Romanoffs took place under dramatic clrcumstences at midnight or. Thurs¬ day. General PurssKy, accompanied by one of the ministers of the n-iw pro¬ visional govemment and othrr mem¬ bers of the revolutionists, infdrmed the Czar that it would not be wlsf^ to send troops to Petrograd, as they would join the revolutionists.
"What is it you want me to do?" the Czar asked.
The Czar was told his abdication was desired.
"I cannot be separated from my son. I wlll abdicate in my brother's favor."
This was what the new government leaders desired. They presi'nted a declaration stating the abdication which had been prepjvred in advance. This the Czar signed without hesitation. 300 Years   Monarchy.
L.ondon, March 17.—Still recovering from the rapidity of events which turn¬ ed Russia from a monarcy of SOO years'
The provisional government leaders made no secret ot their jubilation over the success of the revolution and set to the work of reforming a govern¬ ment of the people with a will.
British officials were watching closely to-night the growth of a pro¬ test movement in Germany against the militarist forces of the empire which some obser\'ers believe may be the forerunner of just such a people's movement which overthrew the Rus¬ sian dynasty. Recent speeches in the Prussian diet have indicated a wide¬ spread attitude of sharp criticism-
The conference held today at Vienna between the new Emperor, the Imperial German Chancellor, the Austrian Prime Minister, the Austrian foreign secretary and others was believed to have been impelled by knowledge that Ausfro- Hungary will be profoundly impressed I by the Russian changes.
Austro-IIungary is closely a-kin to the Russian Slavs in race and charac¬ teristics.
The People Reign.
Petrograd. March 17.—Even the Ro¬ manoffs have bowed to the will of the Russian people.
Grand Duke Michael, originally desig¬ nated by the provisional government as regent until the Czarevitch should come
duration  In   three  short  days,   into  a;"' ^fe, was today  refused the throne
MEN WANTED. WANTED—Men over forty to repre¬ sent us in their vicinity. A good pay¬ ing weekly. Experience unnecessary. Write today. CHARLTON NURS- ERT COMPANY, ROCHESTI^R, N. Y.
SALESMAN WANTED. SALESMAN — Outside Wilkes-Barre. Salary and expenses. General aveacy. Three-year Insurance of goods ,>nakcs big sales. Opening for lady also. FAXRVIEW NURSERIES, Rochester, N. Y.
people's government, England's Inter¬ est tonight centered first In what the change presaged In the war and second- Its effect in Germany.
The one question that is not an¬ swered Is what has become of the czar. Petrograd dispatches did not reveal his whereabouts nor his condition. Nor did they confirm reports there- that the czarevitch, who has been ill for sev¬ eral days with scarlet fever, hud died.
The whereabouts of the czarina were not told. One report via Sweden said the new government bad transferred the royal family to one of the royal palaces in Cremea under special mili¬ tary guard.
The last definite word of the cazr's whereabouts was received >esterday. It placed him at Pskoff. The czarina was then reported still in the Imperial palace at Tsarkoe-Selo, near I'etrograd. Violence  Not  Feared. *
No violence to the royal fitmlly is expected to be exhibited by the revo¬ lutionists. This is probably due to the Czar's self effacement as well as that of his son, the CzareWtch.
The Grand Duke irf ackn>)Wledglng the power of the Duma and Incidental¬ ly that o' the people was likewise ex¬ pected to further the cause of har¬ mony.
proffered him by Czar Nicholas unless the people of Russia should choose him as ruler.
The Grand Duke's acquiscence in the popular vote for formation of the new Russian government tonight accele¬ rated the spread of the movement. Practically all of Russia is now pledged to the Democracy which has succeeded the autocracy of old.
Meanwhile order is being restored. Food stores have been commandeered for distribution under direct control of the new governmental leaders. Rail¬ road traffic is speeding up under com¬ plete co-operation of all employes. Hundreds of carloads of foodstuffs are already enroute to those districts of Russia where the pinch of hunger was most severe.
Fair trial will be accorded all offlclals of the former government accused of duplicity, corruption and even treason to Russia. Army garrisons at various posts have been turned Into prisons where the former govemment officials ar^ held.
New York. March 17.—A mystery which started wilh a .secret phone call, the disappearance of a wife and the finding of the body of "Florence Grey, Boston,' in the exclusive Martinique hotel, came to light this afternoon when Harry J. Helair identified "Flor¬ ence Grey" as his wife.
A coroner's physician who exainined the body of the woman, lying across a bed, said she had been strangled to death. She was first reported to have died from natural causes and police were advised when no trace of re¬ latives had been found in Boston.
Helair. who had reported his wife missing after receipt of a. mysterious phone call, identified the body as the physician was reporting that two dis¬ tinct finger prints were visible on her throat.
These marks indicate strangulation by a powerful man. the officer said. A purse containing 13 cents was found. Jewels valued at more than J2000 were missing. Only 'the wedding ring and another jewel trinket of slight value were left in the room.
The woman had recived no visitors or phone calls and had sent no tele¬ grams hotel employees declared.
"The whole affair is a mystery to me," said Helair. "We have been married 15 years and have been very happy. Mrs. Helair had no friend I did not know. She seldom went out Yi''**'"* me."
A niece, who lived with the Helairs, said she left home after she received a telephone call from a man who ap¬ parently wished her to meet him.
MOTHER AND BABES
FATALLY SCALDED
As the result of being caught by boil¬ ing water when a vessel overturned in their home, Mrs. Grace Sealuzeloch, of Lansford. and her two infant children, are in a critical condition at the Panth¬ er Creek hospital. One of the infants overturned the vessel of water and the three persons were unable to escape.
TUG CREW ARE LOST
AS TOW LINE BREAKS
FEDERATION TO MEET.
The Federation cf Catholic societies wiU meet this afternoon at 3 o'clock in St. Max^s auditorium on South Wash¬ ington e TeeU
Corpus Chri.sti, Tex.. March 17.—It Is feared that Captain Dittmar and all eight members of the crew of the tug Bertha of Galveston have been lost in the Gulf of Mexico. The Bertha was being t'owed from Tampico to Galves¬ ton and during a storm Friday night broke her tow line. Coast gxiards have searched for six hours without any signs of the tug or men.
THOSE WHO WENT ON STRIKE.;    '   '
Pittsburgh, Pa.. March I 7.—Five hundredj^engineers, fire¬ men, conductors, brakemen and trainmen on«the Pittsburgh division of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad went on strike at 7 o'clock tonight. Tliey failed to get notice of' the postpone¬ ment of the strike. Leaders declared that they would/not re¬ turn until formal notification of the postponement "was re¬ ceived. The strike tied-up the road completely between Pittsburgh and Connellsville. / ^
B. & O. MEN STRIKE.     '      
Washington, March I 7.—Members of the'ibig four broth¬ erhoods employed on Baltimore and Ohio freight lines be¬ tween here and New York struck shortly after 7 o'clock to¬ night on failing to receive official notice of the 148-hour post¬ ponement, according to railroad men here.
SHORT WALK.OUT.        '
Dickerson. Rim. Pa., March 1 7.—Fifty employes of the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie railroad, who went on strike here at 7 o'clock tonight returned to their places 13 minutes later, when formal notification of postponement of the > strike was received.
ORDERS NOT UNDERSTOOD.        '    '
Cleveland. C. March I 7.—Traffic on the Badtimore and Ohio at Chicago Junction, south of here was tied up tonight when employes struck at 7 o'clock, owing to a misunderstand¬ ing of orders.
OFFICIALS DENY STRIKE. |
Chicago. March I 7.—Timothy Shea, Chicagoi leader of the brotherhoods, announced tonight that switchmen em¬ ployed in the Chicago yards of the Rock Island. Baltimore and Ohio and Indian Harbor Belt railroads walked-out at 6 o'clock tonight, not having been informed of the postpone¬ ment of the strike. They returned after an hour, he said, after having been apprised of the postponed. Operating offi¬ cials of the three roads expressed surprise when told of Shea's statement and denied that any of their switchmen had walked out tonight
B. & O. SET FOR STRIKE.
Cleveland. O.. March 1 7.—Not a pound of freight will be handled on the Baltimore and Ohio out of Cleveland, it was announced at the freight offices tonight, an air-tight em¬ bargo having been placed on all shipments. It was said that the railroad was all set for a strike, had prepared for one and won't change its plans.
NICKEL PLATE TIED UP.
Conneaut. O.. March 1 7.—The Nickel Plate railroad is tied-up by a strike of freight crews. Brotherhood men re¬ fuse to act on press reports telling of a postponement of the strike order and having received no official postponement, they went out at 7 o'clock eastern time.
WALK-OUT AT ERIE.
Erie, Pa., March 1 7.—More than 300 trainmen centered in this city on the Nickel Plate and New York Central lines quit work at 6 o'clock after running their trains into the terminals. They said they had failed to get any instructions to postpone the strike, but called a meeting this evening so as to endeavor to obtain some authoritative order as to whether to resume.
They refuse to heed the unofficial newspaper reports.
Washington. March I 7.—President Wilson tonight expressed the hope and belief that the conference between the railway man¬ agers and brotherhood chiefs may avert the threatened strike. In a telegram to leaders on both sides of the controversy, the President expressed the hope for an agreement.
PENNSY EMPLOYEES
E
Aicoona, Pa.. March 17.—The com¬ mittee of Pennsylvania railroad men, reported to have signed an application for an injunction against a strike order tonight denied they had taken such action. The matter, it was stated. Is to be taken up officially at a meeting •cheduled ia Pittsburgh tomorrow.
The telegram addressed to L- E. Shepherd, acting head of the Railway Conductors; W. G. Lee Of the Train¬ men, W. S. Stone, grand chief of Lo¬ comotive Engineers; W. S. Carter, President of the Brotherhood Firemen and Engineers; and EUsha Lee, chair¬ man of the conference committee of railroad managers, read:
"I am exceedingly glad thai the conferences have been reopened and that prospect of a settlement looks better. 1 hope most earnestly for a settlement for the sake of all concern¬ ed and most of all lor the sake of the nation, that the two parties will con¬ tinue to grow closer together and a little further conference will result in an agreement the whole country hopes tor and expects."
Gompers Is Called.
New "i'ork, March- 17. — Samuel Gompers, President of the American Federation of Labor did not know un-   he stated firmly that they will not
til 3 o'clock to-day that he had been appointed a member of the board to mediate the threatened strike. Then he made a dash from Atlantic City to New York and arrived here to-night.
"I left Washington for a rest two days ago," he said. "I went to At¬ lantic City and this afternoon was told my Washington office was call¬ ing. They apprised me of my ap¬ pointment and I took the first train.
¦¦I'll be with the mediators tonight and stick through to th« end."
Chicago, Mar. 17.—A general strike on
practically all railroads operaUog out of Chicago will go into effect at « o'clock Monday evening unless the dif¬ ferences between the railroad man¬ agers and the brotherhoods are settled before that hour, according to Timothy Shea, spoktsma.'i for the brotherhood representatives in Chicago. Instruc¬ tions to that effect wlil be issued to that effect to supplant the previous or ders for a progressive strike In the Chicago jurisdiction. The earlier or¬ ders provided that one group of linet would be afrected tjy the strike order today and others on Sunday and Monday nlght.^. Instead of such proceeduMt the three groups wlll walk out slmul- taneouEly .Monday, unless a settlement is reached.
Shea said that the J^rotherbood lead¬ ers here were pleased by the turn ne¬ gotiations at New Tork bad taken, but
ac¬ cept any compromise that does noi provide an eight-hour day.
Plans for the strike will be procecutsd he indicated, pending the result ol further negotiations by the mediators and the conferees of both sidsa.
Despite the 48 hour postponement at the strike. Chief of Police Hermaa Schuettler tonight ordered that one third of the police reserves be held cai duty until tho amnesty expires.
Schuettler predicted there  would  oe little or no -valence shmild the ftrika (OoatlaAd Oa Par* SWs.)