Demoraaic; Waldo
—
GRAY MEEK.
BY PP.
Ink Slings.
—There seems to be little of encourage-
ment in prospect for the business conditions
of the new year. Let us hope that the fu-
ture will not beas calamitous as predicted.
—About the only thing of note about the
recent senatorial fight was the fulfilling of
Senator CAMERON'S several year’s old pre-
diction that he would not be a candidate
for re-election.
—The last message of the Governor of
Pennsylvania to the Legislature will be
preserved as one of the best productions of
pure humor that has appeared in print for
many years.
—The spectacle of seeing ex-judge FURST
“having Judge LOVE sign a decree he has
written himself had a very facetious side
#0 those who realized the love that the one
has for the other.
—The slickness of local political trick-
sters was sand papered good in the fight for
eommissioner’s clerk. After all the wires
were pulled and the thing was cocked and
primed a Nittany boy, scarcely known to
politics, knocked the persimmon.
—JOE BARTON and J. THOMAS MITCH-
ELL are to be pitied. © No one would take
either of them to be gullible creatures, yet
both of them seemed certain of being made
commissioner’s clerk. To all appearances
they were easily RoBB-ed of the place.
~—The Long Island doctor who confront-
ed a burglar and made him throw up his
bands mus have used a far more powerful
emetic than “the Bellefonte woman who
tried to make her babe throw up a half
bottle of arsenic pills that it had not swal-
lowed. SS
—They are making a great ado now be-
cause the Sultan of Turkey’s government
has scraped up enough money to pay the
diplomatic corps in his service. ]
from the display of diplomacy in treating
with other nations about the Armenian
outrages this fund would not have to be
very large.
—It was a sorry start in for the new Re-
publican county officials, on Monday morn-
ing. They kicked up a big fight at the
very first by not appointing Messrs CHAM-
BERS, GRAY and HEWES their attorney
and from what one of the disappointed ones
asserts there is to be war to the knife
among them. Too bad that there was not
an offioe for all of them.
—The latest scheme is to have the Leg-
islature pass a bill that will empower local
boards of health to look into the sanitary
condition of barber shops. If the State is
to do something that is really beneficial in
this line let a law be made requiring the
silence of barbers. More people are talked
to death, while in the chair, than run risk
of dying from an unclean shop.
—It is somewhat in the nature of a
joke, that part of the annual message of
the Governor to the Legislature in which
he deplores the low schemes which men re-
sort to in politics. The Governor seems
particularly grieved that money should be
used for furthering the ends of unscrupu-
lous politicians and urges the Legislature
to make earnest effort toward the suppres-
sion of such crimes. It is funny, indeed,
such goodness, but then
happen every day.
—When like
LEACH
there was nothing of credit to Joux. It
was not a year ago that LEACH gave up a
$5,000 a year job in Philadelphia to follow
men
QUAY in his state chairmanship fight and |
then, when he found that he was not to be
rewarded for such sycophancy, he turned
around against QUAY and was leading
the WANAMAKER fight. It must be very
plain to the public what LEACH was inter-
ested for and this understanding will be of
no credit to WANAMAKER.
—As United States Senator from Penn-
sylvania Boise PENROSE is in a position to
make a brilliant career. He is a young man,
only thirty-six years old, and is sprung
from one of the oldest and most influential
families in Philadelphia. Besides having
grit he has the brains that ought to bring
to him a full realization of the high posi-
tion he holds and guide him to filling it
with honor. Notwithstanding the stigma
of QUAY’S making that will always soil
hisseat in the Senate Mr. PENROSE has an
opportunity presented few young men in
this country. The question that most nat-
urally presents itself to the public now is :
Will he rise above the methods that placed
him there, and, throwing off the odium of
low politics, show to the world such action
as will be an honor to this great Common-
wealth and the making of a statesman of
him? He has the ability to do it.
—The business men of Philadelphia have
found out by this time that business meth-
ods and political methods are not the same.
If they hope to cope with such a wily po-
litical strategist as MATTHEW STANLEY
QUAY they will have to take off the polish-
ed silk ‘‘dicers,” the immaculated linen,
the clean kids and ice block manners that
caused the {rigidity about their headquart-
ers in Harrisburg and get down among ‘the
boys.”” Fellowship is almost the first
principle of success in political leadership
and QUAY has cultivated it to such an ex-
tent that it will take years to break down
his entrenchments. Men who are in poli-
tics want something as a general rule, they
are there for what there isin it and natur-
ally enough the man who has most to give
is the man they are with. In Pennsyl-
vania QUAY is the giver and he will never
be dethroned unless it is at his own game.
Judging.
funny things |
FRANK WILLING |
espoused WANAMAKER’S cause |
ia
"VOL. 42
STATE RIGHTS AN
D FEDERAL UNION.
BELLEFONTE, PA., JAN..S, 1897.
Deceptive Promise of Prosperity.
No one has reason to be surprised that
there is already a reaction against the ex-
pression of the recent election. This is ob-
vious to those who observe how the people
are now expressing themselves since they
are no longer affected by the delusions of
the campaign ; and it is being made more
manifest in the result of elections that have
occurred since the close of the presidential
contest.
For example the recent local elections in
Massachusetts completely reversed the po-
litical expression made on the 3rd of No-
vember. The Republicans were badly beat-
en, particularly in the city of Lynn, a lo-
cality which had been greatly influenced
by the promise of better times that were to
follow the election of ‘‘the advance agent
of prosperity.’
In the face of this promise, what was the
experience of the Lynn shoemakers after
the election of MCKINLEY had heen as-
sured ? Believing the representations of the
Republican campaigners they naturally
looked for an improvement in work and
wages, but the presidential result had
hardly been announced before a cut in
wages was sprung on them, and this re-
duction was quite general in the shoemak-
ing communities in Massachusetts. This
kind of ‘‘advance prosperity’’ was some-
thing they didn’t bargain for when they
voted for MCKINLEY, and the turn they
made at the local elections in December
was an inevitable expression of their dis-
appointment and dissatisfaction.
We mayadd that since the shoemakers
of Lynn manifested their displeasure at the
manner in which they were humbugged by
Republican promises of better times, their
wages have been subjected. to another re-
duction, making the second cut since ap-
proaching “‘prosperity 7’ was heralded by
the election of its ‘‘advance agent.”
Is there anything to indicate that the
general condition is going to be different
from that which is presented in the present
situation? The remedies that will be ap-
plied are sure to be of the MCKINLEY or-
der. There will be more tariff legislation,
more protection to special interests, more
favoritism to the trusts and syndicates, but
little prospects of a return of prosperity,
while the monopolies continue to despoil
the people and the currency is Subjected to
further contraction for the benefit of the
money lenders.
The only prospect - connected with this
situation that will have any encourage-
ment in it will be the prospect of the thor-
ough thrashing which will be administer-
ed four years hence to the fraudulent party
that stole into power again ona deceptive
money issue and a false promise that it
would restore the prosperity of the country.
Working on the New Tariff.
All hope of carrying the DINGLEY bill
through this Congress having been aband-
oned, the work of framing a new tariff bill
| on the MCKINLEY plan was commenced by
the committee of Ways and Means on
Monday, with the intention of having it
ready to launch in the extra scssion that
will be called as soon as possible after the
inauguration of the high tariff President.
It is scarcely necessary. tonote that
‘there is a more wide-spread interest in the
forth coming bill than has attached to any
other revision of the tariff,”’ a fact that is
announced by a Washington correspond-
ent. Asa matter of course all the trusts
and monopolies that derive their advan-
tage from the protective system are anxious
to reap the benefit of MCKINLEY’S elec-
tion, to which they contributed so much
money. ‘They propose to be reimbursed by
tariff favors, and they will furnish ‘‘the
unusually great number of business men’’
who, the correspondent says, desire to ap-
pear before the committee.
From the example given whe the first
M(KINLEY bill was framed it is well
known how the work of formulating tariff
bills is managed. The various interests that
look for tariff favors impudently push their
claims before the committee and are allow-
ed to fix the schedules pretty much to suit
themselves. After their unusually large
contributions to the MCKINLEY campaign
fund their demands will be in proportion,
and there will be little if any resistance to
them.
Among the ‘business men’’ who are to
appear in ‘‘unusually large number before
the committee’’ the sugar trust will send
its full share of them, headed, no doubt,
by HAVEMEYER, president of the trust,
who says that it must get back its cent-a-
pound protection on refined sugar which
will enable it to squeeze an additional
$30, 000,000, annally, out of the American
people. The other trusts will also be on
hand with their various claims, and every
interest except that of the consumer will
be given a favorable attention. This does
not admis of a doubt, for was not McKiIN-
LEY elected for this purpose ?
eR, Souder, president of the Wo-
man’s college and one of the ablest minis-
ters of Baltimore, will preach in the Meth-
odist church, in this place, on Sunday.
¢Businessmen’” for the Offices.
Some of the parties who worked up
JoHN WANAMAKER’S candidacy for United
States Senator in the ‘‘business interest,’’
also propose to enlarge their reform move-
ment by putting a ‘business man’’ in the
office of State Treasurer. They complain
that the state funds are not properly man-
aged, because they are not committed to the
care of men who are acquainted with
‘‘business.”’
Now the fact is that in the management
of the state money there is entirely too
much ‘‘business,’’ and it is very profitable
business to those who, on account of their
official position, are able to place the sur-
plus in the treasury where its use will
produce large personal profits or secure large
political returns in generous subscriptions
to campaign funds. The officers who do
this can’t be said to lack ‘‘business’’ quali-
fications. They may rather be regarded as
having too much of an eye to business, and
not enough care for the faithful perform-
ance of official duty.
According to the last report there is now
in the state treasury a surplus of $4,000,-
000, and yet sums due from the State to
various cities and counties are not paid,
simply because the state money has been
so placed in banking institutions that it is
inconvenient for the officers having charge
of it to withdraw it for the payment of the
state’s debts.
The parties in Philadelphia who are de-
manding a ‘business man’’ at the head of
the treasury to correct this abuse, are in-
duced to make such a demand by the fact
that $1,000,000 due Philadelphia is with-
held by the treasury authorities ; but
they should know that what is needed as a
corrective is not ‘ ‘business men’’ so much as
“honest men’’ in the management of state
moneys—officials wo av a regard for the
obligations of their tis But above all is
the necessity for a law that will positively
“prohibit the placing of the state money in
banks that are favored by giving them the
use of it without paying a cent of interest
to the State. There has been no Republi-
can state Legislature with sufficient regard
for the public interest to pass such a law.
A Goldite Feast in ‘Kansas.
There is something decidedly character-
istic in “the ‘manner in - which “General
BUCKNER has entertained some of his po-
litical friends, it having the true old Ken-
tucky flavor about it. We refer to the en-
tertainment he gave to gold standard
Democrats of Dudley township, Marshall
county, Kansas, a voting district which
gave a majority for PALMER and BuUck-
NER, the candidates of the so-called ‘‘Jrr-
FERSONIAN’’ Democrats in the recent presi-
dential election. As it was the only voting
precinct in the United States capable of
such a political performance the Ggneral
thought it worthy of a Christmas treat,
and accordingly he sent the holtocrats of
Dudley township the material for a rollick-
ing jollification.
As the number of voters in the precinct
were only twelve, the majority wasn’t a
very big affair, but the General didn’t al-
low that factto stint his liberality, and
accordingly he sent his Dudley township
supporters fifty gallons of the best Ken-
tucky whiskey and a check for $50 to pur-
chase the accompaniments suitable to such
a quantity of good liquor, with his com-
pliments and a request that they should be
utilized in a combined Christmas feast and
political celebration.
This liberal offering of the gallant Ken-
tuckian of course met with an enthusiastic
acceptance on the part of his goldite Kan-
sas supporters, who, however, were so small
in number that they had to call in the in-
habitants of the surrounding townships,
irrespective of party affiliation, to help get
away with the General’s liberal allowance
of whiskey.
Hanna’s Nervous Depression.
It is reported that MARK HANNA has
collapsed under his weighty task of carry-
in, the Republican party on his shoulders
for the last six months. It is said that in
consequence of the strain of such an effort
he has been overtaken by nervous depres-
sion, and absolute rest is prescribed by his
physicians.
This may be a dodge intended to keep
the office-seekers away from him, for he is
undoubtedly beset by numberless appli-
cants who naturally believe that the man
who elected MCKINLEY will have the right
to hand out the offices ; but there may be
some truth in the report that he has col-
lapsed under the strain of his campaign
work. The exertion of putting sixteen mil-
lions of election boodle where it would do
the most good was enough to break - down
the nervous system of any man.
In consequence of the reported failure of
Mr. HANNA'S health it is said that he is
not desirious of a position in the cabinet,
but would prefer a seat in the U. S. Senate,
along with the other millionaires who are
imparting so plutocratic a character to the
upper house of the national Legislature.
——Subsecribe for the WATCHMAN.
What Would Be Best?
Would it be the best for the country if
the new scheme of tariff spoliation, which
is being hatched by the Republican Ways
and Means committee, should fail to re-
ceive thesfinal approval of Congress? It is
doubted whether the Senate will pass it,
but is that the most desirable fate that
could overtake it? Wouldn't it be better,
in the long run, if it should become a law ?
There is no question as to the evil of a
system of taxation laid for the benefit of
special interests, such as the MCKINLEY
tariff was, and the proposed new tariff will
be, but if this measure is not passed it will
give tHe Republicans at the end of the Mc-
KINLEY administration the opportunity of
going before the country and claiming that
“business did not revive as they had prom-
ised because they were prevented from re-
storing the McKINLEY tariff. They may
thus be enabled to divert public attention
from the deficiency in the currency as the
true cause of existing business disqrders,
and succeed, by another calamity howl, in
laying the blame on the want of protec-
tion.
Notwithstanding the temporary harm
that would be done by another spoliatory
tariff, the ultimate effect would be better if
the Republicans were given a full swing to
inflict such a measure upon the country.
It brought the business situation to a
collapse at the end of HARRISON'S admin-
istration, but the blame for the break down
was adroitly shifted onto the succeeding
Democratic administration. If the ritua-
tion had been such that the country could
have had for some time a continued exper-
ience of the injury of a monopoly tariff
there would be no desire at this time for
another installment of MCKINLEYISM.
Wouldn’t it be well to give the country a
surfeit of it, so that in 1890, when the
question of the currency is to be determin-
ed, the attention of the people may not be
distracted and diverted from the true issue
by a party bellowing for protection ?
Astor Renounces His American Citizen-
> ship.
The report comes from England that
millionaire ASTOR, who has for some years
been a resident of that country, with aspir-
ations of becoming a member of its no-
‘vifity, has at last renounced his American
citizenship and is about to become a sub-
ject of Queen Victoria. He is a good speci-
men of the snobbish class of Americans
who, after having acquired or inherited
wealth in this country, use it as a means of
securing a position among the foreign aris-
tocracy.
ASTOR aims at becoming an Englesh no-
bleman, but the vast estate from which he
will draw the revenue to maintain his po-
sition among the nobility of England will
remain in this country and be exempted
from taxation for the support of the gov-
ernment that will protect him in its owner-
ship. In consequence of there being no in-
come tax, the immensely valuable New
York properties that will furnish the reve-
nues of the noble house of ASTOR in far
away England, will not pay as much to
the government treasury as is derived from
the tariff duties on the necessaries of every
American workingman. :
Such unfair exemption is accorded to all
the American wealth which through the
matrimonial process is lavished upon a set
of good for nothing foreign adventurers
in the purchase of titles of nobility
for foolish American women. Immense
incomes, which a decision of the United
States Supreme court has protected from
taxation for government purposes, are sent
abroad for the support of an impoverished
nobility.
The First 1tem of Expense.
The contest for sheriff that is now before
the court in this county is a matter of much
speculation among the tax payers as to the
probable cost of the useless investigation
that Mr. MILLER has caused to be started
of the recent shrievalty election.
While there can be no calculation of the
cost of the contest until it is ended a fair
idea of the scale on which bills will be piled
up can be had from the proceedings at the
hearing of sheriff CRONISTER’S answer to
MILLER’S petition, which took place last
Saturday afternoon. At that time it was
decreed by the court, upon suggestion from
Mr. FursT, that two officers should at once
set out to certain named precincts and
gather up the ballot boxes used at the late
election and bring them to this place to be
given into the custody of the prothonotary,
who is to provide a box in which to keep
them.
As the ballot boxes are very large and
the number of precincts quite many this
dxpense will be a large one in itself, not
counting the cost of the receptacle prothon-
otary SMITH is to furnish for them, nor the
cost of the new boxes that will have to be
purchased for the February election, since
these will not be opened until the contes-
tants are ready to recount the ballots in
them.
of expense that will fall on the tax-payers, |
as a consequence of Mr. MILLER’S greed
for an office to which he has not been
| elected.
These are only a few of the opening items |
|
|
Pennsylvania’s General Assembly in Ses-
2 sion.
Henry K. Boyer, of Philadelphia, Selected For Speak-
er and Jere B Rex for Chief Clerk of the House. Mr.
McCarrell Chosen for President Pro Tem. of the
Senate. On Assuming the Speaker's Chair VYester-
day Mr. Boyer Expressed the Opinion that the
Grade of Intelligence in this House is Higher than
in the Ordinary Legislative Body. He Impressed
Upon the Members the Importance of Care in In-
creasing Expenditure of Public Funds—He Referred
to the Necessity of Wise Legislation for the Munic-
ipalities of the 8tate—S8enator McCarrell Express-
ed Some Sound Doctrine—An Honest and Econom-
ical Administration of the affairs of the Great
Municipalties is Important.
HARRISBURG, Jan. 5.—At noon to-day
its presiding officer, Lieutenant Governor
Lyon, called the senate'to order. Before
the hour fixed for the opening session vis-
itors swarmed through the chamber greet-
ing senators of their acquaintance or talking
of the changes that have been made since
the sessions of ’95. The galleries were
crowded and there was lively interest taken
in the proceedings. On the desks of Sena-
tor Penrose, Magee, Flynn, McCarrell and
Vare friends or admirers had placed floral
decorations. The Penrose Republican club
had placed on Penrose’s desk a chair, bear-
ing the word ‘‘vindication.’” A large horse-
shoe was the gift of Magistrate Devlin, of
Philadelphia. On the desk of Magee were
two horseshoes, one from Alexander P.
Moore, of Pittsburg, and the other from A.
A. Hoar, -of Philadelphia. The ‘‘Bour-
geos association,’ of Philadelphia, present-
ed Mr. Vare witha horseshoe, and on the
desk of President Pro Tem. McCarrell was
a basket of flowers from a friend.
‘When Mr. Penrose entered the chamber,
as the gavel fell, there was a cheer from the
galleries. It was cut short by the lieuten-
ant governor. After prayer by Rev. Wil-
liam Fest, of the Carlisle presbytery, Sec-
retary of the Commonwealth Reeder pre-
sented the returns of the November elec-
tion. These were read and the new mem-
bers sworn in by Judge Simonton, of the
Dauphin common pleas courts.
ONE SENATOR ABSENT.
The roll call showed that there was ab-
sent but one senator, B. B. Mitchell, of
Bradford. Mr. Gobin, of Lebanon, named
Senator McCarrell, on the part of the Re-
publicans, president pro tem., and Mr.
Stiles, of Lehigh, presented as the nominee
of the Democratic caucus Mr. Cochran, of
Lycoming, who received the votes of the
six Democrats. Lieutenant Governor Lyon
appointed Messrs. Cochran and Walton to
escort the president pro tem. to the chair.
On taking the chair, Senator McCarrell
thanked the members for the honor con-
ferred upon him. He bespoke the co-oper-
ation of the senators in discharging his du-
ties. He touched upon the government of
municipalities of the state and guid that an
honest and economical admitiistration of
their affairs was of the utmost importance.
That evils have grown up which demand a
remedy cannot be denied, he said. To
what end and in what manner these evils
can be properly corrected by legislation is a
question which the people demand shall
receive prompt and thoughtful considera-
tion. The regulation and control of prim-
ary and general elections, was one of the
themes considered by Mr. McCarrell. With
reference to this he said :
SOME SOUND DOCTRINE.
“If the government by the people is to
continue every position within the range
of popular choice, either directly or indi-
rectly, must be kept within the reach of
every citizen possessing the legal qualifica-
tions, whether he be high or low, rich or
poor, and the wealth of official station of
his fellows must not be used to hinder his
acquisition of his legal right. The people
can be safely trusted to govern themselves
if the enemies of free government can be
restrained from corrupt interference with
the elective franchise.’’
When Mr. McCarrell had concluded,
Judge Simonton administered the oath of
office. Chief Clerk Edward W. Smiley was
re-elected. By resolution, the president
pro tem was authorized to appoint all spe-
cial and. standing committees. Lieutenant
Governor Lyon appointed Messrs. Grady,
Meredith and Stiles to inform the house
that the senate had organized and was
ready for business. On the part of the sen-
ate, the lieutenant governor appointed
Messrs. Short, Gobin and Kennedy to wait
on Governor Hastings and inform him that
the general assembly had organized and
was ready for business.
On motion of Mr. Penrose the senate
took a recess for fifteen minutes.
Just before the Senate reasembled, Chief
Clerk Smiley announced the joint senator-
ial caucus to be held in the hall of the
house at 8 o'clock this evening, the call be-
ing signed by Chairman Lytle, on the part
of the Republicans of the house, and John
C. Grady, for the upper branch Republi-
cans, he being chairman of the senatorial
Republican caucus.
SENATE TAKES A RECESS.’
At 1.45 the senate took a recess until 3
p. m., at which hour it was v .derstood the
governor’s message would be transmitted.
When the senate adjourned at 1.45 it
was to have met at 3 p. m. The committees
of the house and senate, which were to have
waited upon the governor to inform him
that the general assembly had organized,
were not yet ready to report, and it was 4
o’olock before Lieutenant Governor Lyon
rapped the gavel for order. Then the com-
mittee made its report. The sergeant at
arms announced Private Secretary Beitler,
who presented the message. During the
reading, which occupied considerably more
than’an hour, respectful attention was giv-
en. Chief Clerk Smiley and Reading Clerk
Carson divided the task of deliv ering the
message to the senate. At the conclusion
of the reading the governor sent in the ap-
pointments made during the recess for con-
firmation. After they had been read the
senate, on motion of Mr. Short, adjourned
until 11 o’clock to-morrow morning.
IN THE HOUSE.
HARRISBURG, Jan. 5.—An hour before
noon the gallery of the house was filled
with an interesting throng, many ladies
being present. On the desks of prominent
members were baskets of handsome flow-
( Continued on page 4)
Spawls from the Kcystone.
—Harry Bennett, of Pennsdale, who ac-
cidentally shot himself Christmas, as he was
coming backwards from underneath a board
pile, died at the ‘Williamsport hospital, last
week.
—At Beechtree, near DuBois, Tuesday,
Lewis Anderson was instantly killed by be-
ing caught between the bumpers of two coal
cars which he was endeavoring to couple.
He leaves a wife and three children.
—At Sunbury, Monday evening, August
Moeller, foreman at the Cold Spring brewery
after a quarrel with his family, committed
suicide by shooting himself through the head.
He was in his 37th year.
—Mrs. Lusetta Crosly, of Philadelphia,
found her husband with an other woman,
and with out giving further notice proceeded
to cut his throat with a razor. She was lock-
ed up and he was taken to the hospital.
—August Moeller, foreman of the Cold
Spring Brewery, at Sunbury, committed
suicide Wednesday. He had some domestic
troubles, and, it is said, in a fit of melancholy
drew his revolver and shot himself through
the head.
—The residents of Milton were thrown into
a state of excitement Sunday by the suicide
of Sigmund Driefuss, who ended his life by
shooting himself while in the bath tub.
Despondency is given as the cause for the
act. The deceased was a member of the firm
of S. Driefuss & Brothers, clothiers, and was
only 27 years old.
—Friday was a remarkably fine day for
the 1st of January, says Saturday’s Clearfield
Monitor, But could not be compared with the
1st of Ja#huary 21 years ago when a party of
ladies and gentlemen picnicked on cemetery
hill, and one of our hardware merchants had
all kinds of gardening and .harvesting im-
plements out in front of his store.
—The two tramps, Meade and Martin, who
were arrested in the Renovo yards Wednes-
day on suspicion of being the murderers of
Charles O’Brien, at Salamanca, N. Y., last
Saturday, admit that they are the men
wanted, but claim that the act was done in
self defense. Meade made a confession to
the police authorities and to the editor of the
Renovo News.
—Clarence Bradin, John McMullin, Ed-
ward Robison, James Irwin and T. S. Keat-
ing, engineers on the Tyrone division, on ac-
count of a long period of faithful service, New
Year’s received an annual pass for them-
selves and family over the P. R. R. system.
This was certainly a very acceptable New
Year's gift, but fully deserving, as these men
have been faithful employes of the P. R. R.
company for a goodly number of years.
—At Williamsport Saturday Dr. Nutt with
the assistance of a coin extractor removed
from the throat of a 5-year-old son of Mr.
and Mrs. Jno. Fritz, of Hayes Run, Clinton Co.,
a safety pin, which the boy had swallowed
several months ago. The pin was unclasped
and rusty. The child had been treated for
whooping cough until its sufferings became
so intense that an examination was made,
which revealed a foreign substance in the
throat.
—On Sunday at Williamsport Thomas J.
King attempted suicide by jumping off the
Market street bridge into the river. Several
men saw him jump and hastily procuring
boats rowed out to rescue him. When they
reached the man he had his head under water
and held his nose closed with his hands. His
feet were dragging on the river bottom. He
was taken to shore and given the necessary
attention. King has been suffering from a
fit of melancholia for several days. Last
Friday he took a run on the streets entirely
naked. ”
—A supposed incendiary fire occurred in
Lewistown at 2 o'clock Saturday morning
and burned for five hours before it could be
controlled. The total loss will foot up from
$25,000 to $50,000 with an insurance of about
$30,000. The burned district comprises the
entire alley way from Brown to Dorcas
streets, and down to Market strect. The
burned buildings include fifteen stables, a
barber shop and dwelling house, wholesale
grocery, two liveries, undertaking establish-
ment and tin shop and Miller house badly
damaged by water and fire.
—(lifton Knorr, who was arrested at
Reading Tuesday on the charge of at-
tempting to blow up the residence of Hon.
Levi E. Waller, at Bloomsburg, wth dyna-
mite in September last, made a confession
Thursday, in which he implicates L. S.
Winterstein, another prominent citizen of
that place. Knorr asserts that Winterstein
offered him $4,000 to commit the act. Win-
terstein, as soon as he heard that Knorr had
made this statement, went voluntarily to a
justice and furnished $5,000 bail for his ap-
pearance at court. The confession has caused
great excitement in that place.
—At Williamsport, on Christmas evening.
Mrs. Amanda Ward tucked her 4 year old
boy in bed, turned the lamp down and leav-
ing an oil heater burning in the room locked
the door and wentout. During her absence
the lamp exploded and the room caught fire
and the child was suffocated by the smoke.
The firemen made heroic searches for the
boy, but he was not found until some time
after the flames were conquered. When he
was found lying underneath thebed. It is
believed that he was awakened by the flames
and had crawled out of bed and when at
the spot where he was found was overcome
by the smoke.
—Renovo had a drowning accident Monday
night by which a young man named George
Driver lost his life. He was employed as a
teamster on the farm of Wm. Stout, above
Renovo. He, with a son of Mr. Stout, were
skating on the river. Both young men
broke through the ice and were dropped in
water several feet deep. Young Stout suc-
ceeded in getting out, but his companion was
not so fortunate. His body was recovered
about an hour or so later. Another case was
a boy named George Bergenson, of Ridgway,
who was drowned near that place on Sun-
day. He, with other boys, was playing on
the ice on the Clarion river, when the ice
broke arid the lad fell into deep water. His
comrades could not rescue him and before
help was secured his life was gone. Too
much care cannot be exercised by those who
indulge in the sport of skating. Children
especially should not be allowed to go skat-
ing unless their parents are assured that the
ice is firm and water not deep.
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