Today -100: January 11, 1915: Of rascals, chains, hospital ships, and coal mines

Headline of the Day -100: “Called Kaiser a Rascal.” Belgian retired Gen. Gustave Fift, sentenced to life by a German court-martial for helping young Belgian men escape to the Netherlands to join the Belgian Army in France.

A Julius Wodiska has invented a chain gun (two projectiles connected by a chain) to destroy aircraft, functioning sort of like a bolas. Mr Wodiska is the holder of patents for an improved bicycle pedal and for rings (the jewelry kind) with words on them. I don’t know how those panned out, but I think this invention is a loser.

Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan vetoes the Navy’s plans to build a new hospital ship to replace its old and inadequate one, because he says it might give the impression that the US is preparing for some sort of war or something.

The United Mine Workers and the Bache-Denman Coal Company in Arkansas come to an agreement ending the labor struggle there: the union will buy the company out for $200,000 and operate the mine itself on a cooperative basis at least until it can be sold for a profit, and the company will drop its damages lawsuit.

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