FULTON COUNTY NEWS.
Published Every Thursday.
13. VV. Peck, Editor.
McCONNELLSBURG, PA.
Thursday Oct. 12, 1899.
Published Weekly. 1.00 per
Annum in Advance.
Prompt attention will be
tfiven to applications for ad
vertisinf rates.
Job Printing of every des
cription executed with prompt
ness, in a workmanlike manner
and at consistent prices.
KI OI IKI MKNTS OF TIIF.COM
I I'l.SOR V l.ni CATION LAW
and now i:mokci:i).
THE DEATH OF
6E0. 6. RUPLEY.
AN F.XF.MI'I-ARY CITIZEN OF
MF.Ki;F.RSHl'R(i.
Ills Experience lit tins Time of the
First KnIJ In Southern Pennsyl
vania t'nptulii of the Home '
(tiai'iU and Hm-gcNS of the Town
Ills Arrest with Other Lending i
Citlcns and Incarcerations in
Lihhy Prison An IntcrcxtiiiK
.Story, Ktinirt's Raid -Mr. Hurley i
Shared a Frugal .Meal With (ien
eral Wade Hampton.
Ia reply t an inquiry as to the
compulsory school law and wh;it
individuals are resjionsible for
its enforcement, the West Ches
ter News says:
The Compulsory Edueationlaw
was passed in 1305 and amended
in lh!)7. Tho latter act made a
number of ini)ortant changes in
the law, almost, indeed, supply
ing the i l ice of the original act.
As the law stands at present, ev
ery parent, guardian, or other
person having charge of a child
between the ages of 8 and six
teeu years is required to see that
such child attends a school in
which tho common English
branches are taught at least 70
per cent, of the time tho school is
open, unless the child is excused
from such attendance by the
board of directors upon presen
tation of satisfactory evidence of
mental or physical or other ur
gent reason. If there be no pub
lic school within two miles by
the nearest traveled road such
person is excused, or if able to
produce a certificate of a teacher
that the child is being instructed
in other than a public school in
the English branches, ho is also
excused.
A child between tho ages of 13
and 10 years, who is regularly en
gaged in any useful employment
r service is excused.
Tho person in parental rela
tion neglecting to send a child to
-school is declared guilty of amis
demeanor and on conviction be
fore a Justice of tho Peace or an
Alderman, shall be fined not ex
ceeding 2 for tho first offense
and not exceeding $5 for every
subsequent offense.
When the Assessor has made
his enumeration of the children
in the district and returned the
same to the County Commission
ers, these officers certify tho list
to the Secretary of the School
Board and the Board must fur
nish the teacher of each school
with a correct list of all children
in his or her district subject to
the provisions of the act.
The School Board has author
ity to appoint an attendance offi
cer to look after truant children,
and neglectful parents, but if
they do not make such appoint
ment it is tho duty of the Secre
tary of the Board to look after
them. The teacher must report
immediately to tho Secretary of
tho Board and once a month
'hereafter the names of all chil
dren absent from school five days
n the month without satisfactory
excuse.
Tho first duty of the attend
ance officer or Secretary of the
ooard is to notify in writing the
imi rent or guardian in tho delin
quency and thus give an oppor
tunity to comply with tho law in
tho future and avoid tho penalty.
If tho child is then not sent to
school or its education properly
accounted for a complaint should
o made before a Justice of the
'eace or Alderman. The Secre
try or attendance officer, if eon
s meed of neglecting his duty, is
ulr'e !t to u fine of IT).
Tho seventy perceutum of tho
school year which children are
equired to attend begins at tho
beginning of the school term un
less the School Board fixes a dif
ferent time at which it is to be-
There are some other provis
ions in the law, but those given
over the portions most imjort
i'iit for public information.
Incorrigible children can be
: '-quired to attend a separate
-. hool, where one is provided or
j' ay by due process of law be
nt to the House of Refuge or
:her institutions for their reform
.jnl spc-inl training.
From Public Opinion.
Mr. George (. Rupley, nn ex
emplary citizen of Mercersburg i
and a man of more than ordinary j
intelligence, has passed away at J
that ripe old age to which, ac-j
cording to the Psalmist, one may !
attain by reason of strength. He !
was a quiet man, somewrhat re-1
served in disposition, but a carta- j
ble and entertaining talker with j
persons who enjoyed his porso- I
rial acquaintance. In the com
munity at large his influence for
good was felt more from his Up-:
right christian life, than from j
what he said, but he always found '
voice in any crisis or time of need j
to array himself on the. side ofi
jH'ace, morality and gxd order.
His life exjieriences present a
rather interesting and curious
cluster of anomalies. While ho
instinctively shrank from the
publicity of office or honors, yet
he was called upon frequently to
assume the duties of local govern
ment. He was at various times'
Justice of the Peace, town couu-1
cilman, burgess aud school direc- j
tor. Diligent in tho pursuits of j
peace, ho found himself Captain
of the Homo Guards and in com-!
mand of tho defences of the town
at tho outbreak of tho civil war. !
He never committed a public J
crime and yet ho was publicly ar-
rested at his own place of busi-1
ness, kept in tho custody of arm
ed men and taken away from his
own State into Virginia where
without trial ho was cast into !
prison and compelled to undergo j
a term of imprisonment which in- j
volved greater hardship and pun- j
ishment than is now meted out to !
the worst criminals of the nation.
Always a staunch and uncom
promising Union man, he found
himself on one occasion quietly
seated in a Confederate camp j
partaking of an evening meal, j
and in pleasant conversation with i
no less personage than General
Wado Hampton.
The following brief account of
Mr. Rupley's experience at tho
time of the first Rebel raid into
Southern Pennsylvania, was re
duced to writing and is the sub
stance of an interview with Mr.
Rupley himself who afterwards
pronounced it a correct statement
of facts.
The morning of October 10th,
lHtiL', was rather cool and cloudy,
and late in tho afternoon a driz
zling rain set in and continued
far into the night. Captain Rup
ley of the Home Guards, and
Burgess of the borough, was at
work in his tin shop. The mer
chants were quietly attending to
the wants of their few customers
who were unusually few owing to
the threatening weather. Daniel
Shaffer had taken down his
trusty rifle to shoot a chicken for
a la to dinner which ho expected
to enjoy with his family.
Gen. J. E. B. Stuart with tho
flower of his famous cavalry
crossed the Potomac that morn
ing at McCoy's ferry above Will- j
iamsport and proceeded to make
a raid around tho army of Mc-'
Clellan, such as he had made once !
before while the army of tho Po-'
tomac was nearer Richmond in
tho memorable Peninsular cam-!
iniim Tlfttlt urnrn uiwmuu. !
JMIIUi .ivrwi.ii limn nvi,y nui.i,.nrr
ful, and tho latter one was prob
ably tho most profitable to the
bold cavalrymen, at least as far
as the gathering of foi-age and ,
horses was concerned. The nurn-'
ber of troops has been variously !
estimated, one writer putting it 1
us high as .'i,."0O mounted men
and six pieces of artillery. They
udvanced rapidly through tho
Blair's Valley road into tho
"Corner." About half past 12,
just when most of tho good peo
ple n Mercersburg were quietly
seated ut their dinner tables, a
few cavalry soldiers made their j
appearance in town. This uu-;
looked for occurrence attracted !
some little attention. Citizens :
came out to see them and to in- j
quire from what jniint they laid i
come. The yonnj? boys r.lways
anxious to see soldiers, crowded
around, running in and out among
the horses and gazing with evi
dent admiration at the bold look
ing blue coats. For a little while
everything seemed right and no
suspicion was aroused ngainst
tho soldiers until they com
menced to swarm into the town
by the hundreds from tho direc
tion of the "Corner."
The oncoming ranks did not
look no blue as the first ones, but
it was now the citizens' time to
look blue, as they began to realize
that the town was in possession
of the southern soldiers.
Gen. Stuart's forces remained
in town about two hours and dur
ing that time visited most of the
business places and made quite
extensive requisition ujion the
citizens of the town generally.
The details of their visit must be
passed by, as the limits of this
article will not permit of much
more than a brief account of the
fortunes of Burgess Rupley.
About half past two the forces
began to leave town taking the
road to Bridgeport and evidently
bound for Chambersburg. They
had as prisoners, Daniel Shaffer,
Perry A. Rice, C. Iiouderbaugh,
John McDowell, James Grove,
William Raby, D. O. Blair and G.
G. Rupley, all citizens of Mer
cersburg, and Joseph Winger, of
Claylick. Mr. Rupley was taken
prisoner because ho was Burgess
of the town, others were captured
because they were representative
citizens, and others still, for no
particular reason at all. Daniel
Shaffer had just fired his gun at
tho chicken and stood with smok
ing gun in hand when several
cavalrymen came upon him and
placed him under guard.
The prisoners thus taken were
compelled to walk until they ar
rived at the junction of the Lou
don and Bridgeport roads about
a mile from town. Here they
we're met by several squads of
men with a fresh supply of horses
taken from the neighboring farm
ers. Riding outfits were scarce
in those days, and our captives,
though allowed to ride were forced
to go it boy fashion, without sad
dlo and with a halter as tho only
means of guiding and curbing tho
fiery steeds. With squads of
soldiers on every side, however,
they were comparatively safe
from either accidental or inten
tional runaway. Mr. Joseph
Winger was more fortunate than
his fellow prisoners as far as the
conveniences of travel were con
cerned. Before leaving his home
ho bargained with tho officers in
chargo that ho was to rido his
own horse, and also that he was
to go no further than the Potomac
river. The first part of this
promise was faithfully kept by
the officer whoso name was Hen
ry Clay Benton. And indeed it
was the intention concerning all
these prisoners that they should
bo taken as far as tho river where
they were to be paroled and ex
changed for Southern prisoners
then in the custody of tho Feder
al Government. But tho faith
was not kept and in accordance
with an order of General Lee,
these captives, including Mr.
Winger, were hurried forward to
Richmond and confined within
the dreary walls of Libby and
Castle Thunder.
A slight accident occurred just
be Tore tho party reached Cham
bersburg, which in itself was
nothing unusual in army life, yet
in its results upon tho fortunes
of our captives it amounted to
considerable aud lessened to a
great extent Mr. Rupley 'schauces
of escape. Ono of tho cavarly
men in somo way received an in
jury to his foot and tho pain was
so great that ho was unable to
rido his horse. Ho was brought
to tho wagon in which Mr. Rup
ley and Mr. McDowell were then
riding they having obtained that
convenience towards the latter
part of the journey and in order
to make room for tho wounded
man, Mr. McDowell was very un
cermouiously ordered out, aud a
caisson, or ammunition wagon,
was assigned for him to ride upon.
This modo of travel would no
doubt have been disastrous in its
effects, considering tho ago and
delicate state of Mr. McDowell's
health. Mr. Rupley saw this at
once, and promptly offered to take
the place. No objections were
made on tho part of those in
command, and Mr. Rupley ac
cordingly took his jKtsitiou where
tho powder and balls wore the
Ihickest, and biwly maintained
it, until they reached camp on the
other side of Cnnmborsbnrg.
After the accident alluded to, Mr.
Daniel Shaffer, who had been he
roically making his way up hill
and down upon a baro backed
horse, was ordered to take charge
of the wounded man's horse. Af
ter that, he always thought, tho
lcoplo of Chambersburg must
have regarded him as one of them
as he had the regulation army
saddle and bridle and his two big
horse-pistols, one at each side
in front.
Mr. Rupley had no opportunity
of stopping in Chambersburg,
but was taken through to camp
where he was obliged to remain.
After they had settled down ho
began to size up his chances for
escape, but as pickets were im
mediately thrown out on every
side, he finally concluded that the
odds were decidedly against him.
He sat down by tho fire, fooling
tired, cold and hungry. While
he was musing upon the fortunes
of war, no less a distinguished
person than Gen. Wado Hampton
canio up to him, and after a little
conversation in which the names
and circumstances of each were
made known to the other, tho
General pulled out from his hav
ersack a piece of meat (flitch per
haps) and with the aid of an old
pocket knife, shared it with the
prisoner. This was not a very
choice meal, but "under tho cir
cumstances," said Mr. Rupley,
"it tasted pretty good."
After tho General had cut the
pork aud handed ono piece to his
messmate, ho walked over to a
tree and cut off a branch which
ho sharpened at one end and
stuck it through the meat. This
done, he sat down by the fire and
held the meat over the flames un
til it was fried, or whatever the
result of such a process may be
called, perhaps it was partly
burned. Mr. Rupley quickly fol
lowed the pxamplo of his com
panion and ero long this citizen of
the North,' and the soldier of the
South were seated side by side
preparing their fugal meal, be
fore a camp fire that failed to
make cheery the surrounding
grove amid the gathering shades
of a bleak October evening.
After the victor and tho van
quished had finished their simple
meal, and had conversed a while
over the camp fire, the prisoner
was asked whether ho had any
place to sleep, and he replied that
he had not. Gen. Hampton then
directed him to a house not far
away and told him to find lodging
there. Seeing the pickets around,
Mr. Rupley ventured to inquire
whether he could get there, and
being well assured that he could,
the two then separated. Mr. Rup
ley fittr to tho house indicated
where he found tolerably com
fortable quarters for tho night.
On tho following morning Sat
urday Messrs. Louderbaugh
and McDowell were released and
allowed to return homo. All tho
other prisoners were taken along
with tho riders, who after burn
ing several buildings in Cham
bersburg, took their departure
eastward across the South Moun
tain. Mr. Rice was last seen
seated upon a caisson in front of
the Mansion house, Chambers
burg, and it is likely that the
most of his jonrney to Richmond
was made upon that wagon. Dr.
Blair and Mr. Raby had about tho
same accommodations for travel
until they made their escajie in
Montgomery county, Md., just
before crossing tho Potomac.
On tho following Monday tho
party reached Richmond and the
prisoners were locked up in Lib
by. Messrs. Rupley and Winger
remained until tho first of Dec.
following when they were releas
ed on jNirole, reaching Washing
ton on their way home, Decem
ber 4. Mr. Rico died in prison
somo time in January lHOJl, and
Mr. Shaffer and Mr. Grovo were
not exchanged until the following
March. Mr. Rupley at the time
of his capture had in his pocket
several papers relating to the or
ganization of tho Home Guard
and somo little memoranda of tho
affairs of that body. These pa
pers ho destroyed before ho was
many miles on his way to Rich
mond, thinking that if found on
his person, they might lessen his
chance of adjusting tho littlo dif
ficulty between himself and tho
Confederate g ver nmen t.
Mr. Rupley made one other
trip to the South during tho war.
His going on that occasion was
volurtary, however, uud was for
the purpose of bringing home for
burial the body of his brother,
Simon W. Rupley, a Serg't of Co.
hi. 120th Reg'tPa. Vols., who was
killed in action at Chancellors
ville, May !!, 1W3.
Among the few remaining men
who were active in the affairs of
the community in war time, Mr.
Rupley will be gratefully remem
bered as one who performed his
good part. Among tho citizens
generally. of Mercersburg his fa
miliar form and kindly face will
be sadly missed-
A TEimiuLK tragedy occurred
at Kesler's Curve, W. Va., on
Thursday night, September 21.
Absalom Kesler, an agd and
well-to-do farmer and Albert
Gross, his hired man, were hor
ribly beaten, and Kesler's house
was burned. Kesler's niece, Ann
Doman and her child who in the
house nt tho time, were burned
to death. Tho object in commit
ting tho deed, is supposed to have
been robery, Mr. Kesler having
recently drawn from tho bank all
of his money, amounting to $4,
000. This money is missing, sus
picion rests upon a man named
Doinan, husband of tho woman
burned to death in tho house. He
was at the place on tho evening
of the tragedy and has not boon
seen or heard of since. Kesler
has since died from the effects of
the wounds received. Tho man
Gross had his jaw fractured and
is unable to talk. Ho is steadily
improving. Only the charred re
mains of the woman and her
child were found in tho house.
Hancock Star.
FitOM advance sheets of the re
port of the Soldiers' Orphans'
Schools Commission it is learned
that on May 31st last there were
1,102 children in the schools, a
decrease of 25. The number of
admissions during the year were
102 and 180 were discharged.
The amount expended by the
Commission since it assumed
charge in 1889 was $1,081,749, or
an average of 180,174. The ex
penditure last year was 105,450.
The Commission states that it is
the intention to consolidate all of
the schools at the Scotland school
but this could not be carried out
this year. The results in the
schools have been exceedingly
satisfactory and particularly so
at the Scotland Industrial School.
The Legislatureiscommended for
having passed a law admitting to
tho schools the children of sol
diers of tho Spanish-American
war, a number of whom have ap
plied for admission.
A pauent wrote to an editor
for information as to how to stop
his boy from smoking cigarettes
and received the following reply:
"We suggest bribery, persuasion,
instruction or shutting off his al
lowanco. Then if ho remains ob
stinate uso rawhide on his raw
hide. Welt him until he is ready
to hold up his hands and promiso
never to smoke another cigarette.
If that does not work drown him.
A drowned boy is much better
than a boy who smokes cigarettes."
At Klausthal, Germany, light
ning struck tho wooden part of a
house and fused two nails four
millimeters thick. Siemens and
Ilalkske, of Berlin, afterward ex
perimented to ascertain tho force
required. Assumiug one second
as tho timo standard it required
a current of two hundred amperes
and twenty thousand volts repre
senting seven thousand horsepower.
All voters over twenty-two
years of ago must pay a county
tax within two years, aud ouo
mouth before election day, to
give them the right to vote. The
election comes on the 7th of No
vember this year. Tho last day
to pay taxes is October 7th,
Till-: man who has not a million
dollars has much enjoyment in
the contemplation of what he
would do if ho had it. The fellow
who has it is subjected to much
misery in his efforts to hold on to
it.
With so many trusts being
formed, it would seem quite apro
os to organize a trust in human
ity that would do away with tho
necessity for locking our doors.
Kentuckians say that William
Goobol, the Democratic candidate
for Governor, is tha ablest poli
tician the State has produced.
X00 OOOOOOOOOOCi
FALL AND WINTER
In t
But
(-
'. A
M n
.1
IVLSwJfl 1LllU .t;
Viil
, J Pi
lut
11
We are now prepared to sho;
our Friends the Largest and a
Best Selected Stock of
GENERAL MERCHANDIS
IN
nd
In
boi
Th
o 1
hrh
He
ft!
Lad
FULTON nOlIiMTtf
(a claim that is being extensively made.) Satisfy v."
self about that matter. We will show you the ?a
LARGEST LINE OR ?L
TL
fht
lis
dt
at
that Fulton county has ever had in it, and at price cie
low as is consistent with perfect goods. The rantt c
Plush capes 2,50 to 13,00. Cloth capes as lovbc
1.25. See them. Jackets, 4,00 up. We havelt
od
lie
prettiest line ot
Ladies' Skirts
to show you from 20 cents to $2,00.
in
Ac
e
id
fta
ce
Dress Goods in Stacks?1
, i n
A good Wool Suiting for ID cents, well worth L'5 cvj ;
See our stock of
a
it;
i
Ladies' and Men's NeckwcbJ
1 1
Lots of new, nice things. i
A matter of interest to all is good warm UNDERWEJ.M
for cold weather. Wo have it. j,
We have a case of 82 dozen of MEN'S SHIRTS1'
DRAWERS, at 40 cents apiece, that lots of peopled
be slow to ask 50 cents for. They are perfect in niako.tn
fit, and in every way acceptable, Of course we haw mi
cheaper, and several lines of Underwear at f0c, 75c. L
1,00, and up; Ladies,' from i!0c. to 1,00. Children's?
and on. Ut
8
LtWlSSHOtSir
j ! I W Ifl It.
o'.kvc ryJpockbtbooh.
L
7
A Word about SHOE!
We have two lines of Ladies' aud Children's Shoes tha't
will stand against anything anywhere, price considered,
tit, and wear, and appearance A general line, iucluir
Men's, Boys , Ladies' and Misses', that will stand agn
any line, wo don't care who produces them, or their pri'
We a re selling a very fair Children's Shoe, 8-12 at f
A first-rate Oil Grain Shoo for women at 'JHc. Men's l' f
as low as 1.50. A very good one. I
Ready-made
A larger stock than yrf
will find anywhere else t
town. We luiow the price;.
are all right, every time
oooooooooooo OOOOOOOOOOl
Clothin