Democratic fatcan,
‘BY P. GRAY ME=K.
Ink Slings.
—MACEO has the record of dying and
coming te life again, all within twenty-
four hours. Lie
—The man with the No. 6 hat and the
56 girth has it in him, some where, but
certainly not in his head.
—The grinder’s department of the na-
tional axe-factory is working full time in
the lobbies of the capitol at Washington.
— How will this sound after January -
15th : J. THOMAS MITCHELL, commission-
er’s clerk. Do you think it will sound
that way ? :
—The ‘cackling of the ‘geese saved
Rome,’ but the cackling of the geese is not
calculated to save the morals of some men
who live on Bishop street.
—1It is bad enough to see snakes but what
a frightful condition that young man, in
Bedford, must have been in when four live,
wriggling reptiles escaped from his insides.
—A Chicago justice fined a woman $10
because she owned a cock that crowed at
an unseemly hour in the morning. It is
getting pretty tough when women are held
accountable for the doings of their roosters.
—Senator CAMERON has wakened up
and has introduced a resolution into the
Senate declaring that the independence of’
Cuba shall be recognized. Is CAMERON
joining the jingoes, or is this a slick bid
for his own seat in the Senate ?
—When the tax payers of Centre county
get through with this contest for sheriff
they will make it a point never to let an-
other Republican get so near election as
MriLLER did. After paying fifteen or
twenty thousand dollars in costs there will
be an end of 16 majorites. After that they
will be sixteen hundred. =
—Chicago is going to have a free silver
church. What a happy thought. Possi-
bly some of the ministers who have been
helping HANNA and his gold theory for the
past few months would like to have a lit-
tle free silver. In fact we have yet to see
the preacher whose begging propensity is
not about on a par with any other accom-
plishment he may have.
—Congress being in session the Cuban
question is, for the time being, eclipsed,
but the news makers are desperate in the
attempt to keep it before the people. The
latest story is to the effect that the patriot
general MACEO has been killed. These
Cubans are like the proverbial cat. All of
them seem to have nine lives, for every
time they are ‘‘killed”’ they show up again.
—Our Governor has a fine sense of hu-
mor. His latest joke is to the effect that
he does not intend being a candidate for
the United States Senate because he feels
that it is his duty to serve the people of
Pennsylvania who made him Governor by
the largest majority ever given any candi-
date. It’s all right, Governor, if you want
to be Senator we’ll excuse you from further
duty at Harrisburg.
—Butler’s council having passed a cur-
few ordinance, the people of that town are
mad because they say such an edict will
have a tendency toward making law break-
ers out of their children. The ordinance
requires that a bell is to be rung every
evening at eight o’clock, after which time
all children under a certain age must be
off the streets. Between the public school
kid catchers and this law the lot of the
Butler kid must be anything but a happy
one.
—Nebraska intends profiting by the
mistake Kansas made in passing laws that
affected both debtor and creditor class.
Already that State is beginning to insure
eastern investors that there will be nothing
to fear in the form of legislation that
might be injurious to Nebraska securities.
What she needs is not assurance that her
obligations will not be legislated out of ex-
istence, but more money so that her peo-
ple can get something with which to wipe
them out.
_—Many counties throughout the State
are complaining that the State funds for
public school purposes are not forthcom-
ing. In view of the fact that Dec. 1st the
official report of the State treasurer showed
a balance of $4,250,257 in the various State
depositories, this dereliction looks very
much as if the money is being used for
other purposes than those for which it is
collected. When the State claims to have
80 much money to its credit what can be
the object in withholding funds that are
due the various counties. Such action is
hampering the work of public schools very
materially in some districts.
—The Cambria iron company’s great
plant at Johnstown was closed on the day
it was visited by a delegation of Japanese
scientists and-now. it is rumored that the
company did not care to have the Japs
learn too much about how steel is made
there. Inasmuch as the object of the visit
was thus frustrated it might have been in
order for DR. ELDER, the Johnstown
sound money-tariff agitator, to have told
the visitors how easy it is for that big place
to shut down and start up again. It will
be remembered that it stopped, a few days
before the election, just long enough to
give the doctor a chance to write a column
story for the Philadelphia Press about the
way in which the free silver scare was de-
pressing everything, but unfortunately for
the force of his argument the plant had re-
sumed almost before the article was put in
print. e
VOL. 41
STATE RIGHTS AN
D FEDERAL UNION.
BELLEFONTE, PA., DEC.
31. 1906.
The Republican Ticket.
Whatever may be the result of the con-
test that Mr. A. V. MILLER and his Re-
publican friends are trying to force upon
the county, the Democracy will be in no
way responsible for it. The costs which
will run up into thousands of dollars and
must be paid by the taxpayers ; the local
bitterness engendered ; the besmirching of
character ; the suspicion of rascality ; the
charges of fraud and the whole train of
foul things that bespatter communities and
set neighbor against neighbor, that comes
with election contests, will be chargeable
solely to the greed of a few Republicans for
office, and the general willingness of that
party to saddle taxes upon the public.
There is no one, not particularly inter-
ested in getting ABRAM MILLER into a
public office, but is confident that the re-
turns of the last election for this county, as
made and testified to, are honest in every
instance and express the will of the peo-
ple. But this does not suit Republican
leaders and unless some unexpected ruling
occurs the county is to be put to thous-
ands of dollars of expense to prove that
its election boards are honest, or to the
same expense to give a defeated candidate
an office upon technicalities.
But be the result as it may, as we have
stated, the entire responsibility of that re-
sult, with all its costs and taxes and evils,
will be upon the Republicans. It will be a
contest of Republicans, with Republicans, for a
Republican—AND THE PEOPLE MUST FOOT
THE BILL. :
It is asked for by a fairly defeated Re-
publican ; Republican lawyers advise that
it be pushed along ; Republican voters pe-
tition for it ; of the twenty-six districts
in which charges of fraud are made, twen-
ty-four have Republican election boards ;
and upon the proceedings a Republican
judge will determine whether the cost of a
contest is to be fastened upon the tax-pay-
ers of the county, or whether the allega-
tions of fraud are of too visionary a charac-
ter to warrant this expense.
It is right that the tax-payers should
know these facts. They are the interested
ones. It is upon them that the great bur-
den of expense will fall. It is from them
that the taxes will be gathered to pay law-
yers fees, -and witness fees, and mileage,
and court’costs, and constable costs and
the scores of other necessary expenses fol-
lowing in the wake-of a general contest,
that will drag along for months and may
not be ended until the Supreme court pass-
es its judgment upon questions at issue,
years hence.
And all this expenditure upon the peo-
ple to give ABRAM V. MILLER an office,
through possible technicalities, when the
tax-payers of the county refused, twice
within thirteen months, to elect him to
one.’ And all this trouble and expense
and disgrace upon the county, because one
lot of Republicans charge their own elec-
tion boards with being too ignorant to
know how to count the ballots, and with
conspiring to defeat their own candidate.
Surely the Republican party of this
county is getting into deep water.
Electoral Ignorance.
It is announced from Washington that
the leading colored Republican club of
that city, which was established in 1895
for the purpose of furthering MCKINLEY’s
election, opposes the suggestion of a colored
man as a member of MCKINLEY’S cabinet.
It proposes that the new President should.
give a number of colored men a share of
the loaves and fishes rather than to heap
all the honor on one by a cabinet appoint-
ment.
Do these deluded darkies think they
have the slighest show for a cabinet office,
or for any official positions which white
Republicans may consider worth occupy-
ing? Though they elect Republican Presi-
dents it is foolish for them to expect any
of the offices, except such as are of a menial
character; and their chances for even such
are slim in competition with Republicans
of the low-down order who are willing to
clean official cuspidors.
The colored brothers gave McKINLEY
more than the popular majority that elec-
ted him. The last census showed that
there were 1,700,000 negroes in the country
qualified to vote, and it is within bounds
to say that of this number at least 1,200,-
000 voted at the last election, and, as they
are practically solid for Republican candi-
dates, it is obvious that the votes they cast
for MCKINLEY numbered almost half a
million more than his popular majority,
which has settled down to about 700,000.
The addition of the vast mass of negro
ignorance to the voting population of the
country is one of the crimes which the
Republican party has committed against
the Republic. They are committing anoth-
er by utilizing the semi-barbarous hordes
of Dagos and Huns as voting material, that
ignorant mass having been secured by pur-
chase and intimidation at the last election,
and were used conjointly with the negroes
in outvoting the intelligent artisans and
farmers who supported the Democratic
ticket and constitutional bimetallism.
2
Will Cuba Have Home Rule?
It would seem from President CLEVE-
LAND’S message to Congress that the only
settlement of the Cuban question to which
the United States can be a party
must be effected through Spain’s of-
fering the Island home rule. In fact, it
is announced that our government has al-
ready made advances to Spain with the
hope of bringing about such a result.
Home rule for Cuba would mean self-gov-
ernment with a recognition of the sov-
erneignty of Spain. But before the latter
would grant such a concession Cuba would
have to guarantee a satisfactory execution
of government for herself and it is in this
guarantee that the President suggests that
the United States might help adjust the
trouble without violation of neutrality
laws.
If Cuba were granted home rule it is in-
timated that ‘‘the United States would en-
deavor to find a way, not objectionable to
Spain, of furnishing guaranty’’ that the
government on the island would be prop-
erly executed. This is the furthest to
which the President goes in his message.
There is but one conclusion that can be
drawn, and it : that belligerent rights are
not to be extended by the present adminis-
tration, at least.
After reciting that at least from $30,000,-
000 to $50,000,000 of American capital are
invested in plantations and in railroads,
mining and other business enterprises
on the island and that the volume of
trade between the United States and Cuba,
which amounted to about $64,000,000, rose,
in 1893, to about $103,000,000. the Presi-
dent asserts that the Cubans have been able
to maintain no civil government and that
the only government that exists, if there
be any, is enforced by the Spanish. It is
his belief that Spain would be easily able
to suppress the uprising were the rebels to
come out of the hills and give fair fight,
but that being secure in their ambuscades
and succored from all quarters there is no
telling when an end will be made of ‘the
costly conflict.
Looking at the situation from this point
of view the President is convinced that the
United States can take no other part in
the trouble than in the way suggested in
his message. He realizes the jeopardy in
which millions of our capital is placed, yet
he believes that the peculiar obligations of
the laws of nations make it impossible for
us to interfere except on the lines sug-
gested.
Future Probabilities.
As there is scarcely a possibility of any
revenue legislation during this winter’s
session of Congress, there is every proba-
bility of an extra session being called very
soon after MCKINLEY’S inauguration.
This will be done in order to effect the in- |
crease of tariff duties which was the chief
purpose of MCKINLEY’S election. Be-
tween now and then there is but little
likelihood of an improvement in business,
but more likely that it will be a tough
winter for the business interests, and that
labor will find it a season of very rough
sledding. The “‘advance agent of prosperi-
ty’’ will not furnish that article so far in
advance.
But the relief that has been promised is
to be furnished by means of more tariff
taxation, and with that object there is
every indication that Congress will be
called together some time in next April or
May. How business will be benefitted by
the agitation of the tariff in a special ses-
sion, which will probably be prolonged all
summer, we will leave to the imagination
of our readers, and if, after such disturb-
ance shall have continued for months, the
trusts and monopolies which put their
money in MCKINLEY’S election shall suc-
ceed in securing an increase of tariff boun-
ties, it is not difficult to foresee what kind
of ‘‘prosperity’’ will result from that
method of obtaining it.
While this kind of a remedy is being re-
sorted to the business depression:will grow
worse as the inevitable consequence of a
contracted currency. The relief that may
be expected is a further contraction by the
retirement of the greeabacks, if the Wall
street money sharks are allowed to perfect
their scheme of cornering the currency.
—Jt is beginning to be suspected that
Prince Louis of Savoy has brought his ship
over here for other than nautical purposes.
His ship goes from one port to another, but
the Prince spends most of his time on land,
and the way he cuts the pigeon wing at
social functions given in his honor by
American swelldom, affords ground for the
report that his chief object is to replenish
the Savoy exchequer by marrying one of
our multi-millionaire heiresses. The House
of Savoy is not any too rich, and if the
object of his visit is a matrimonial specula-
tion, all that he has got to do is to let his
purpose be known and the daughters of our
Standard oil and trust plutocrats will
tumble over each other in their struggle to
lay their wealth, unencumbered by an in-
come tax, and themselves, at his royal feet.
} Republican Luck.
In two very remarkable instances the
luck of the Republican party has been far
beyond what its merits deserved. It will
be remembered that immediately after the
passage of the MCKINLEY tariff law, this
country was blessed with one of the most
abundant wheat crops that was ever be-
dence, while in the same - year, 1891, the
crops of Europe were in a great measure a
failure. It was the year when Russia,
which usually exports such large quantities
of wheat, had so short a crop that some of
her districts were overtaken by famine.
As a consequence of such a situation the
export of American wheat and other cereals
was immense, the excess in value over the
exportation of ordinary years having been
over $150,000,000. This unusual balance in
our favor, with its consequent effect in pro-
moting the business of the country, was de-
clared by the protectionists to have been
the result of the MCKINLEY tariff. Never-
theless, by the time the HARRISON admin-
istration closed, on the 4th of March, 1893,
there wasn’t a vestige left of this pros-
perity ; industry was paralyzed, the na-
tional treasury was depleted, and a com-
plete wreck was thrown on the hands of
the incoming CLEVELAND administration.
The party, however, whose management
had brought about this condition got out
of office in time enough to dodge the crash
which they had been the cause of, and
managed to create the impression that the
bare fact of a Democratic administration
coming into power had caused the ruin.
It is a remarkable coincidence that just
when this fraudulent old party has recov-
ered control of the government there is
another crop failure abroad that occasions
an unusual demand for our grain, which a
great yield enables us to abundantly sup-
ply. The benefit which the country will
derive from this lucky circumstance will
surely be claimed as having resulted from
McKINLEY’S election. Even before the
voting came off the advance in the price of
was credited to MCKINLEY’S prospective
success, and there were some farmers who
were fooled by such an absurd claim.
But the benefits of the great grain expor-
Jations that are now going on will be as
vanishing'as were those of the year 1891,
when the value of our exports exceeded
those of ordinary years by nearly two hun-
dred millions. After the unusual demand
abroad has been supplied wheat will drop
to the price to which the contracting effects
of the gold standard has brought it, togeth-
and restored MCKINLEYISM will be attend-
ed with the same paralysing consequences
that brought the country to the ragged
edge of an impending panic at the close of
the IIARRISON administration. :
_ Protection to monopolies and a currency
controlled by gold bug influence are not the
agencies calculated to restore the country’s
prosperity.
The Republican party was lucky in the
two instances we have cited, but its luck
was a misfortune to the country.
Fifty Years an Editor.
The esteem in which Colonel ALEXAN-
DER K. MCCLURE, editor of the Philadel-
phia Times, is held by his newspaper friends
found fitting expression in the magnificent
banquet that was given in the honor of his
fifty years’ service, at the Walton, on
Wednesday night. Three hundred and
fifty of the most distinguished writers of
the State were present to congratulate the
veteran editor on the wonderful career
which he has made for himself.
When alad of 19 years he issued the
first number of the Juniata Sentinel, at
Mifflintown, on Dec. 9th, 1846. The
struggles of his early venture were very
much the same as those that harry the
country editor of to-day, but Col. Mc-
CLURE was the onc. among thousands des-
tined for a greater work. His ambition
has been achieved and through the years
that he has directed the policy of the great
Philadelphia daily, his has been a potent
factor in the business, social, political and
christian spheres of the country. The
1¥mes- spreads McCLURE’S enlightening
thoughts to thousands, every day, and who
can calculate the public benefit. >
While there was gladness and good fel-
lowship expressed in this anniversary it is
a sad thought that comes to us when we
realize that Col. MCCLURE’S days of ser-
vice in the ranks are drawing to a close.
Those who have known him as friend bear
that esteem ‘‘that can perish only when
the gathering shadows shall have settled
into the night that comes to purple the
better morn.”
-——It seems that Mr. MILLS would re-
sort to heroic remedy in the Cuban affair.
He wants the President to take possession
of the island by force. While we deplore
the awful strife that is fast wrecking that
land we are not in sympathy with a move-
ment to attach it to the United States.
Our territory ‘is quite extended enough,
particularly when there is such marked
evidence of a growing tendency to dissatis-
faction among our people, no matter what
the condition of affairs.
<
Bann
stowed upon her by a bountiful Provi- |
wheat, caused by the foreign crop failure,
er with that of other agricultural producs,
The Prayer of the Mem Who Want to
Make Abe Miller Sheriff.
The Grounds on Which These Men Purpose Piling
Costs on Centre County—Where They Cry Fraud in
Republican Districts.
To the Honorable the Judges of the Court of
Quarter Sessions of the Peace, in and for the
county of Centre :
The petition of the undersigned, more
than twenty-five Spmiber, and all citi-
zens and qualified electors of the said coun-
ty of Centre and State of Pennsylvania, re-
spectfully represents :
That the officers of the general election
held for ‘said county of Centre on the 3rd
day of November, 1896, have certified and
returned that at said election W. M.
Cronister received four thousand seven
hundred and seventy-two votes for the
office of sheriff of said county, and Abram
V. Miller received four thousand, seven
hundred and fifty-six votes for the said
office of sheriff. That your petitioners
are citizens and qualified electors of the
said county of Centre, and that they each
and all voted at said general election in
the county of Centre, held on the 3rd day
of November aforesaid.
The petitioners complain that the said
election was undue and illegal ; that the re-
turn of the said election is false, and that
the said. Abram V. Miller was duly elected
sheriff of said county at said election, and
not the said W. M. Cronister. That the
respective election officers of the various
election precincts in the county of Centre,
at the said election held on the 3rd day of
November last past, received, counted and
returned a large number of votes as cast
for the said W. M. Cronister, for the office
of sheriff of said county, which said votes
were illegal, improperly received, counted
and returned for the said W. M. Cronister
for sheriff of said county, and which were
afterwards computed, counted and declared
by the Court of Common Pleas, of Centre
county, on the 5th day of November last
past, all of which said votes, so as aforesaid
received, counted and returned by the sev-
eral election officers, and afterwards com-
puted by the said court as aforesaid, were
illegal and void. That the said votes so as
aforesaid received, counted, returned and
computed, were illegally so received, coun-
ted, returned and computed.
That the said votes so as aforesaid receiv-
ed and illegally counted and returned hy
the said election officers of the several elec-
tion districts in the county of Centre, as
cast for the said W. M. Cronister for the
office of sheriff, and which were afterwards
computed and declared by the Court of
Common Pleas, whose duty it is, under the
law, to compute the returns of the election
from the several election districts or pre-
cincts in the county, exceed six hundred
votes.
That in the various election i ‘igts at
the said general election held on the day
aforesaid there were a large number of
votes offered to and received by the elec-
tion officers, counted, returned and com-
puted, avhich said votes or ballots were
cast for thesaid W. M. Cronister for the
office of sheriff by persons who were not
qualified electors entitled to vote at said
election.
And your petitioners do further set forth
the following facts on which their com-
plaint is founded, by which it will appear
that the said Abram V. Miller was duly
elected sheriff of the said county of Centre
as aforesid, viz: :
1st. That in the election district of the
borough of Howard there were thirty and
more votes cast, counted and returned for
W. M. Cronister for sheriff, and subse-
quently computed by the Court, than were
legally cast for W. M. Cronister for sheriff,
because the said thirty or more voters
marked their ballots with a X in the circle
at the head of the Republican ticket, which
under the laws of this Commonwealth, was
a vote for all the candidates in that ticket,
in which list of candidates was the name of
Abram V. Miller for sheriff, and at the
same time, the said thirty or more voters
marked a X opposite the name of W. M.
Cronister in the Democratic column, and
which said votes so as aforesaid cast, were
illegally counted and returned by the elec-
tion officers as legal votes for W. M. Cron-
ister.
2nd. That in the election district of
the township of Howard, there were fifteen
or more votes cast, counted and returned
for W. M. Cronister for sheriff, and subse-
quently computed by the Court, than were
legally cast for W. M. Cronister for sheriff,
because the said fifteen or more voters
marked their ballots with a X in the circle
at the head of the Republican ticket, which
under the laws of this Commonwealth, was
a vote for all the candidates in that ticket,
in which list of candidates was the name of
Abram V. Miller for sheriff, and at the
same time, the said fifteen or more voters
marked a X opposite the name of W. M.
Cronister in the Democratic column, and
which said voters so as aforesaid cast, were
illegally counted and returned by the elec-
tion officers as legal votes for W. M. Cron-
ister.
3rd. That in the election district of the
township of Liberty there were ten or more
votes cast, counted: and returned for W.
M. Cronister for sheriff, and subsequently
computed by the Court, than were legally
cast for W. M. Cronister for sheriff, because
the said ten or more voters marked their
ballots with a X in the circle at the head
of the Republican ticket, which under the
laws of this Commonwealth, was a vote for
all the candidates in that ticket, in which
list of candidates was the name of Abram
V. Miller for sheriff, and at the same time,
the said ten or more voters marked a X
opposite the name of W. M. Cronister in
the Democratic column, and which said
votes, so as aforesaid cast, were illegally
counted and returned by the election of-
ficers as legal votes for W. M. Cronister.
4th. at in the election district of
the township of- Marion, there twelve or
more votes cast, counted and returned for
W. M. Cronister for sheriff, and subse-
quently computed by the court, then were
legally cast for W. M. Cronister for sheriff,
because the said twelve or more voters
marked their ballots with a X in the circle
at the head of the Republican ticket, which
under the laws of this Commonwealth,
was a vote for all the candidates in that
(Continued on page 4.)
Spawls from the Keystone.
—Pittsburg already has its new filtration
plant ready for a test.
—Frederick Jayne's baby pulled a boiler
of water on itself and was scalded to death at
Tunkhannock.
—John Curry, colored, who hupg himself
at Lebanon on account of domestic troubles,
was cut down alive by his wife.
—Citizens of Allegheny City in a big mass-
meeting protested against charging tolls on
roads inside the municipal boundaries.
—The Cambria iron company at Johns-
town shut down its vast mills to prevent
visiting Japs learning just how it made steel.
—Judge Biddle refused at Carlisle to
mandamus the school board to admit a color-
ed boy to the high school in violation of its
own rules.
—Harrisburg’s agitation against abuses in
its fire department has resulted in three fire-
men being dropped for theft and two for
neglect.
—Mrs. Andrew Lebens was foiled in an
attempt to stab her husband in court at
Scranton after he had prosecuted her for con-
neetion with a scandal.
—City councils of Lebanon are being urged
by mayor John A. Weimer to investigate the
workings of the city water department,
which, he says, is mismanaged.
—Governor Hastings on Monday, inspected
the soldiers’ orphan industrial school at
Scotland, and made a neat little speech,
urging the pupils to the highest efforts.
—Frank Ford, of Chewtown, Armstrong
county, who was a Cuban volunteer for six
months, says the insurgents will win, and
yellow fever is more to be dreaded thap
Spanish soldiers.
—Carbon county commissioners offer $200
reward for information that will lead to the
arrest and conviction of the murderer or
murderers of Mrs. Caspar Laboy, at Lans-
ford, on November 22.
—The Clearfield county commissioners are
now caring for a family of seven in the bor-
ough of Brisbin. all of whom are lying with
typhoid fever and in constant need of medical
attendance and skillful nursing.
—Mrs. Ransloe Boone, who was severely
injured and whose husband was killed by a
plunge with their horse down an unguarded
embankment, has sued Norwegian township,
Schulkill county, for heavy damages.
—Burglars entered the post office at Shar-
on, Pa., last week. They were carrying on
drilling operations when two girls who were
sleeping in a room overhead surprised them
with a revolver fusilade. One of the ‘robbers
was hit but both got away. The plucky girls
have received many congratulations on their
heroism.
—David S. Africa, Huntingdon’s oldest
citizen, is far-famed as the great turkey-
hunter of the Juniata valley and many are
the wild turkeys that have succumbed to his
unerring aim. Though he is 86 years of age,
Mr. Africa is still keen of eye and sure in
aim ; and he has shot twenty-seven rabbits
this season.
—A fatal burning accident occurred near
Renovo Thursday evening when the three
year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John
Garber was burned so badly that her death
occurred during the night. Mr. Garber
Tesides in the western part “of Renovo, and
the little girl with other children was play-
ing along the river bank where some boys
had built a fire. In some manner the child’s
clothing caught fire.
—At Milton Mr. and Mrs. Bert Gruger and
their 12-year-old daughter were in a state of
asphyxiation from Saturday night until
Monday morning. Strange to relate they.
awakened after sleeping 36 hours. The in-
mates were all more or less dazed and were
not able to take food untiliseveral hours after
a physician had prescribed the necessary
remedies. A piece of the stovepipe had be-
come disjointed, which opening permitted
the gas to escape.
—Prisoners made a desperate attempt to
escape from the Bedford jail by setting fire
to the jail, and but for the timely discovery
of the fire by Sheriff Holmes, some of the
prisoners would have escaped and others
would have been cremated. George Bynum
and Jesse Johnson, first degree murderers,
were at the head of the plot. The fire was
extinguished before the destruction of the
Jail, and notwithstanding the confusion and
temporary panic, not a single man got away.
—Samuel H. Berkheimer, a young man of
Bedford, who has been ill for a couple of
years with what was supposed to be con-
sumption, on Sunday, Nov. 15th, passed four
reptiles resembling lizards, says the Bedford
Gazette. The largest one is one and three-
fourth inches'long. They were alive. This
remarkable occurrence is puzzling the physi-
cians, and the Medico Chirurgical college of
Philadelphia will try to solve the anomaly,
and give the result of its investigation to the
medical world. Since the strange occurrence
the young patient has been improving in
health.
—David Cassidy, an Altoona teamster, was
struck by a Logan Valley trolley car on
Saturday night and probably fatally injured.
He was lying on the track when the car ap-
proached. The circumstance of the case
awakened the suspicion that Cassidy had
been foully dealt with. His friends
deem it probable that he was beaten insen-
sible and thrown on the tracks with mur.
derous intent. It is known that he quarreled
with several parties in the La Pierre hotel
bar room during Saturday evening and that
one man struck him twice with a beer glass.
An investigation of the case has been in-
augurated.
G. W. Bell, of Bell’s Landing, is probably
the champion bee keeper of Clearfield county.
Last spring he had 31 colonies. He put 63
in winter quarters, thus more, than doubling
the number owned last spring. Besides this
great increase he took off 1400 pounds of
honey. Of this amount 1000 pounds was
comb and the balance extracted honey. He
says he has no difficulty in marketing it, at
fair prices. He uses chaff hives of the Root
pattern. The lower story is surrounded with
chaff, affording ample protection against the
coldest weather. One colony made 100
pcunds of honey during the past season.
Two swarms which were united produced
112 pounds. He has the Italian variety of
bees. In order to keep his stock pure he pur-
chased a dozen queen bees during the season.
He is a master of the business and keeps
abreast with the latest methods and improve-
ments of the business.
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