Demo] Walden
BY PP. GRAY MEEK.
Ink Slings.
There is Lord Repvers BULLER,
With his hundred thousand men,
He marches o'er the Tugela
And then scoots back again,
And when they're o'er, they're o'er,
And when they're back, they're back,
But Krucer’s knockin’ the devil
Out o' the bloomin’ English pack.
—W. HARRISON WALKER promises to
be the greatest political runner this town
has ever seen.
—Next Tuesday will tell whether Gov-
ernor STONE has any friends left in the
Worth ward or not.
—If you want to see the fur fly keep
your eye on HARSHBERGER'’S political pate
up in the North ward next Tuesday.
—With a fine sense of the eternal fitness
of things that Madisonburg eloping couple
went to a Rev. DECAMP to be married.
—If the upper branch of Congress con-
tinues keeping QUAY on the anxious bench
he will need a seat in his trousers long be-
fore hie gets that one in the Senate.
—HoRE SMITH’S saying that GOEBEL
was in the wrong in Kentucky doesn’t
make it as nearly so as some Republican
papers would like to believe. It wasn’t so
long ago that these same papers that are
now pinning their faith to HOKE were rail-
ing at him for being the most incompetent
Secretary the Interior Department ever
had.
—There is nothing left for the Delaware
peach trees to do but grow a crop next sea-
son. The ADDICKS fight among the Re-
publicans . in the Diamond State threatens
to crop out again and if it does it will so
effectually monopolize whatever notoriety
there is going as to frost all hope of any
for the peach orchards, through their an-
nual wail of a crop failure.
—Mir. FITZSIMMONS, the fighter, was the
fellow who not long ago paraded his inten-
tion of retiring from the prize ring and of
trying to become as much of a gentleman
as possible, but it is quite evident that
FITZSIMMONS, a gentleman, did not lie well
on the social stomach of FITZSIMMONS, a
pug, and the latter, having thrown off the
former, is again clamoring for fame such as
the brutality of the prize ring wins for
men.
—Ex- Consul McCRUM has at last spok-
en. He says he left Pretoria because he
was in sympathy with the Boers and the
English were tampering with his official
correspondence. ‘If such was the case Mr.
McCrUM ought, by all means,to have staid
right where he was and had the matter look-
ed into by his home government. His act
of running away from trouble classes him
with the ‘‘quitters’”” and there are few of
them among Ohio-ans, especially when it
comes to quitting government jobs.
—Last night was the second anniversary
of the terrible disaster to the battleship
Maine in Havana harbor. We have by no
means forgotten the unfortunate men who
went to heroe’s graves in the dark waters
of the bay that night, nor are we likely to,
but the stamp tax keeps on robbing the
people under the old battle cry of ‘‘Re-
member the Maine’’ and respect for the
dead prevents the people from denouncing
it as unjust.
—The wife of the Turkish minister at
Washington intends to maintain her estab-
lishment in that city in true Turkish style.
In the eyes of the Washington correspond-
ents the most notable feature of this is the
refusal to entertain men at her home. Mrs.
AL1 FERROUGH BEY is about as well off |
as if the rules of the Koran did not
taboo male visitors. Judging from the
reps of a number of the official set in Wash-
ington there are lots of them who would
not hesitate to break into ALI’'S little
harem, if they could.
—It is not more than in line with the
general ridiculousness of the requirements
of civil service reform that the Grangers
should demand that all applicants for posi-
tions in the Department of Agriculture be
required to display a certain practical
knowledge of farming. Of course their aim
is apparently to preserve positions in that
department for the farmers and their right
to them should be unquestioned, but just
“how much more proficient is it going to
make a clerk, if he has been handy at
spreading manure, we are at a loss to com-
prehend. Or how much more accurate will
the accounts be kept if some one is presid-
ing over the books who uses gee and haw
for the debit and credit sides of the ledger.
—Congressman LEVY, of New York, is
talking sense when he urges the passage of
his bill repealing some of the war taxes.
He says the war is all over now and the
government expenses are decreasing daily
and inasmuch as the Secretary of the
Treasury estimates that the surplus of
revenues for the current year will be be-
tween thirty and forty million dollars there
seems to be no further need for this drain
upon the people. The truth of the matter
is just this. The DINGLEY tariff being a
failure as a revenue producer the longer’
this war tax can be kept on the longer the
people will be deceived. The Republicans
are bidding for votes now and they must
keep a full treasury at all hazard in order
to bolster up their imperialistic President’s
chances for a re-election. It is not the
need of the government that is calling for
stamps or checks, ete., these days so much
.as it is the need of the Republican party.
Demo
STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION.
VOL. 45
Cutting Down Republican Majorities.
Republicans havea right to think as they
please, and to say what they have a mind
to about it, but the undeniable fact is that
their vote in Philadelphia is being decreas-
ed at a rate that is neither promising of
future spoils or hopeful of majorities. A
little over two months ago five ot the most
trusted and successsul workers of the party,
headed by the Hon. (?) SAM SALTER, were
forced to leave the country for the coun-
try’s good, and the boastful results of their
efforts will be seen no more forever in the
returns from the districts they worked.
On last Saturday Judge BREGY’S court
further reduced the working force, and pos-
sible majority of that party, for at least
two years by consigning FRANK TAYLOR,
JoE HOGAN and SAM MARKLEY to the
tender mercies and less tender diet of the
eastern penitentiary, for that period. i
These three, like the Hon. (?) SAMSALT-
ER, and Mr. McKINLEY’S Washington of-
ficials who are with him seeking a land
where no man knows them and where the
temptations to stuff ballot boxes are not as
great as in the city of brotherly love, were
the flag-wavers and a;pisuse-starters for
the Republican bosses of the Fifth wards.
They were also tools to do and act just as
they were told. They did just what thous-
ands of other Republican workers, in that
boastful Republican city, have been doing
under instructions for years— committed
frauds to swell the vote and tickle the
bosses of their party for whom they worked
and by whom they were paid. They didn’t
believe they were committing any crime
that would merit punishment, for the rea-
son that they had been taught, both by the
press of Philadelphia and the leaders of
Republicanism there, that the greatest
glory a man could achieve was to stuff a
ballot box. succeed as a repeater or make a
false return of the vote. It was for this
‘“glory’’ and to show their‘ ‘diwisions’’ prac-
tically unanimous for whatever the Repub-
lican ring desired, that they were working.
But they did their work a little too openly
and the courts of Philadelphia, that for
years have been blind to this kind of busi-
ness, were compelled to see and in order to
leave the impression that they have been
looking for this sort of crime, they bristle
up and -the poor wretches—tools of those
who make. the courts—are given the full
penalty of the law.
It is right that these creatures of Repub-
lican rottennegs should get just what has
been given them. It may possibly deter
others from attempting the same crimes in
the same open and defiant way; but it
won’t stop frauds at elections, nor will it
purify the politics of that city. It will
take hundreds of ward-heelersand scores of
ward bosses to be placed just where TAY-
LOR, HOGAN and MARKLY now are or
made to follow the departed SALTER before
this will be accomplished.
However, we should not fail to appreci-
ate the good work that has been done, and
for this one spasmodic effort of the courts, to
show their opposition to heretofore known
and recognized Republican methods of in-
creasing its vote, we should be thankful.
It at least promises a reduction of Repub-
lican majorities in Philadelphia.
The Auditor’s Report.
The county Auditors finished their work
and filed their account on Saturday last.
It was a big job and a long one, and we
doubt if men ever tried to do their duty
more faithfully or more conscientiously.
The report, as filed, severely arraigns the
late board of Commissioners for the ex-
travagance exhibited in the payment of
certain bills. It sur-charges to each of its
members an equal amount of a number that
were paid without warrant of law, in addi-
tion to deducting from Mr. FISHER’S ac-
count, four days ; Mr. RIDDLES, six days ;
and Mr. HECKMAN’S, thirteeen days, that
they had charged for services when there
was no meeting of the board.
With their statement of the county
finances the auditors filed the following
report :
To the Honorable the Judge of the Court of Common
Pleas of Centre County :
“The undersigned auditors of Centre county,
having examined the accounts of the several of-
ficers, beg leave to report as follows :
Your auditors met at the court house, on Mon-
day, January 1st, and organized by electing Wm.
H. Tibbens, president; John H. Beck, secretary;
W. Miles Walker, clerk; and Fortney & Walker,
attorneys. Notice was duly served upon the sev-
eral officials to produce their books of accounts,
papers, vouchers, minutes, ete. Harrison Kline
treasurer’s accounts were examined carefully
and found to be correct, except that the com-
missioner’s “receipt book’’ shows that on the
12th day of January, A. D., 1899, he received
eight thousand three hundred and sixty-three
and forty-one one hundredth dollars ($8,363.41)
with which amount, your auditors find, that he
neither charged himself nor credited to the
county fund in the accounts of the year 1899.
Your auditors object to the payment of sundry
bills of Commonwealth costs and several bills for
maintenance and care of indigent persons (here-
inafter set forth) which we verily believe to be
unwarranted and, therefore, have surcharged
them to the board; also, we find that the time
book shows that they have charged for days when
only one member was present (No. days herein-
after set forth) which your auditors believe to he
u correct item of surcharge.
The minutes of the office proceedings were not
as full and complete as they should be, in many
instances do not contain important transactions
of business and in some cases do not agree with
contracts made.
There has not been a careful scrutiny of bills
and accounts in relation to over charges as we
think should have been exercised. Assessor’s
bills in many cases show a large increase. Bills
for rooms in which to hold elections are in many
instances excessive and the establishment of
uniformity in allowance, as near as possible, is
recommended.
With these remarks we submit the following
statement of the county expenditures for the past
year for which orders have been drawn by the
late board of commissioners.”
BELLEFONTE, PA., FEB. 16, 1900.
A Statement that Proves Profligacy and
Don’t Show All It Should.
The WATCHMAN makes no apology for
the many columns given up this week to
the Commi ssioner’s exhibit of the financial
condition of the county. It is a document
of the greatest importance to local tax-pay-
ers and will be studied with more interest
by them than any other matter that would
have occupied the same space.
We are sorry we cannot say that it is a
satisfactory exhibit, or shows careful and
economical management on the part of
those controlling the county affairs for
1899. It is just the reverse of this. In
every department from the expenditures for
court purposes down to the cost of cleaning
the court house it shows a liberality, or
recklessness, with the people’s money that
is neither encouraging to the tax-payers
nor commendatory of the work of the
Commissioners.
Ten years ago, and under what was then
thought to be an incompetent’and waste-
ful management of county affairs, the total
expenditure for county purposes amounted
to $45,857.47. Of this $10.000 was ex-
pended in erecting new bridges, making
the actnal payments for county purposes a
little over $35,000.00. Iast year, less than
$800.00 was expended on bridges, and less
than $2,000 on improving the public
property, and the management was such
that it cost $63,923.76 to meet the same
expenditures that were paid, in 1889, with
$35,000.00.
There is possibly an excuse for even some
increase in expenditures over what they
were ten years ago, for the reason thata
registration of school children now has to
be made, tickets for all elections have to be
printed, and blanks for the different county
officials have to be paid out of the county
treasury, which was not required then.
But outside of these, and they will not add
$5,000 to the general expenses, we can re-
call nothing that would give a reasonable
excuse for any increase in the cost of coun-
ty affairs.
Why the expenditures have run up, will
be clear to the reader if he will examine
the amounts paid for making assessments
in certain districts, for pointing the jail
walls, for repairing the pavements about
the court house, for making out registra-
tion lists, for commissioners and clerks
pay, and scores’ of other items for which the
price paid is out of all proportion to’ the
actual cost of the work done.
Of these matters we may have more to
say in the future.
But the increased expenditures, as
shown by the payments made by the
Treasurer, is not the only complaint the
tax-payers have reason to make against the
outgoing Board of Commissioners. Last
fall the WATCHMAN charged that . there
was queer book-keeping up about the
court house, and that no one knew exactly
what the condition of county affairs were.
This charge has been verified by the exam-
ination of the books and accounts by the
County Auditors. They found, that $8,-
363.41, that was received on the 13tl? of
January, 1899, was not accounted for in the
account of that year at all; they found
that payment for $7,000 due from the State
to the county for 1900 had heen receipted
for and entered in the account of 1899, to
partially replace the $8,363.42, received
and not accounted for in January of that
year, and that with these attempts to make
a better showing of money in the treasury
than the facts warranted, prior to their ef-
forts to be re-elected, that they have gotten
their accounts so mixed, and in that condi-
tion, that, according to the Auditor’s state-
ment, their outgoing Treasurer is charged
with having $21,190.82 in his hands in
place of $12,827.40, as shown by the Com-
missioners exhibit.
What became of the difference—§8,-
363.41—that was paid to the county by
the State on the 13th of January, 1899. is
a matter for the treasurer, Mr. KLINE, and
theout going Board of Commissioners to ex-
plain.
Another matter that is worthy of note
in this connection is the fact that since the
present Board of Commissioners were sworn
in, that scores of unpaid bills have been
presented for adjustment. In the matter
of bridges, alone, it is said that accounts
aggregating almost $2,000, have turned up,
of which no account had been kept.
Printing and other bills have been held
back, so that the exhibit, as given in the
statement published —extravagant and
profligate as it makes the management—
does not tell near all, nor will any one
know the actual condition until all bills
are presented.
Although the statement shows that the
county assets are ‘in excess of its liabilities
$24,229.12, the actual facts are that the
county assets amount to nothing of the
kind. * To figure it up to this, and meet
demands made in 1899, $7,000 of money
belonging to the county income of 1900,
was used in December. The payment of
bills of which no mention is made was ne-
glected until there are thousands of dollars
of them now due and to he met, and in
place of the new Board going into office
with a clear sheet and an excess of over
$24,000.00, the actual excess when discover-
ed and fairly stated will not be a penny
above $14,000.
It is to be hoped that the new Board of
Commissioners will prove a great improve-
ment on the one that has just passed out
of office. There certainly is plenty of room.
Corporations Spend Vast Sums to Cheat
the People.
The following dispatch from Harrisburg,
under date of Feb. 9th, gives to the public
the sequel to the defeat of the Granger's
tax bill before the Legislature in 1896.
The dispatch announces the instigation of
legal proceedings by WILLIAM R. PEOPLES,
of Jersey Shore, against Congressman M.
E. OnmsteD, the noted corporation law-
yer of Harrisburg, to recover fees for pro-
fessional services during the time when the
Grauger’s tax bill was before the Legisla-
ture and Congressman OLMSTED was
fighting it for the benefit of corporations in
general.
The peopie knew very little of what was
going on during those days when the
Grangers were making their great fight for
a more equitable tax adjustment between
the land owning farmers and the great cor-
porations, aud this telegram only partly
tells the story of the baleful influence cor-
porate wealth wields over the Legislature
to the detriment of the general interests.
Harrissure, Feb. 9.— William R. Peoples, of
Jersey Shore, has entered suit in the Dauphin
county court against Congressman Marlin E.
Olmsted, of this city, to recover a fee of $500 for
professional services,
Mr. Peoples alleges that during the Legislature
of 1806 he furnished Mr. Olmsted with certain data
for an argument before the House Ways and
Means committee against the Granger tax bill.
The information related to the value of certain
property belonging to Leonard Rhone, former
worthy master of the State Grange, who advocated
the passage of the bill. Mr. Peoples alleges that
he secured this information at the request of Mr.
Olmsted.
A. C. Stamm, who is associated with Congress-
man Olmsted in the practice of law, said to-night
that Peoples was not employed by the Congress-
man personally, but by the Beech Creek railroad
company, of which Olmsted was at the time pres-
ident and general counsel. Bricker and Peoples
were local counsel at Jersy Shore and Peoples
performed the service for which the suit is
brought und-r the immediate direction of A. G.
Palmer, supecrintendent of the company at that
place in his capacity as local counsel. His bill,
which presumably included this service, was sub-
sequently rendered to the company and paid.
The facts in the case are these: While
the Granger’s tax bill was under discussion
Gore the Ways and Means committee Mr.
RHONE made an argument, setting forth
the value of corporate and personal proper-
ty and the millage rate of taxation, as com-
pared with that of real estate. The statis-
tics he used were compiled from the reports
of the Secretary of Internal Affairs and the
Auditor General and made a decidedly
startling showing.
According to the published reports the
figures showed that corporate and personal
property paid on an average valuation only
three mills, while real estate paid sixteen
mills of taxation. This so aroused corpo-
rate interests that they employed special
emissaries, at any salary they demanded,
as shown by the above telegram, tospy up-
on and hound Mr. RHONE and others who
were leading the fight for the common peo-
ple.
As Mr. PEOPLES is the partner of Capt.
BRICKER, corporation clerk in the Auditor
General’s office, he was selected to come to
Centre county to ascertain the valuation,
for purposes of taxation, of Mr. RHONE’S
property in Pennsvalley. After sneaking
about in that community for some time the
corporation hireling succeeded in making
an inventory of the Granger champion’s
property, stock and crops. He carried it
back to Harrisburg and Mr. OLMSTED used
the data in his argument against the bill
for which Mr. RHONE was struggling.
As the public knows the bill was lost,
because bass ridden, corporation enthralled
Pennsylvania did not have it in its power
to say that the tax burdens of the farmer
and small property owner should be light-
ened and those of the corporations made
heavier. But after the money interests
had accomplished their purpose there came
the settlement of the costs of accomplish-
ment; in which it is quite evident that
they forgot to count Mr. PEOPLES. He
now sues to recover $500.00, which he
states he was to receive from the Beech
Creek Railroad Co., that sam being the
share of but one corporation in the fund to
defeat the Granger’s tax bill.
If corporations are accustomed to paying
so munificently for services it is not to be
wondered at that they pay only three
mills taxes, while real estate pays sixteen.
It one of these corporations, and a compara-
tively small one in the State, contributed
$500 to their attorney what vast sums
might others be supposed to bave given?
Legislatures and officials are corrupted and
the honest efforts of men Jike Mr. RHONE,
who have nothing allowed them but trav-
eling expenses, amount to naught.
It is noteworthy that while he is not a
lawyer the Centre county farmer prepared
such an argument in that case that corpor-
ations spent thousands of dollars in undo-
ing its effects, and Mr. WANAMAKER used
it as a basis of many of his speeches during
the last campaign and in it can be discern-
ed much of the animus in the warfare
which the present administration is waging
against Mr. RIHONE. >
One of the Issues of the Next Campaign.
From the New York Journal.
The fear of the trust issue in the coming
campaign is weighing heavily upon the
soul of the administration. Here and
there the party leaders are putting their
noses together and discussing the best
means of throwing a veil over the slow
moving glacier.
They now propose an amendment to the
constitution giving the United States gov-
ernment control over corporations. With-
out a visible and flaming sword, what hol-
low mockery is this? Government control
is possible now if the laws are enforced.
Where is the Sherman law? Has it be-
come a dead letter? Where is the Inter-
State Commerce law, and all kindred
statutes supposed to control trusts? Sunk-
en with the weight of money attached to
their necks.
In what direction, then, will the Govern-
ment wield this club of commercial re-
form? Through Congress? Impossible.
as long as Senators and Representatives
stand pledged to the trusts. Through the
courts? Again an impossibility, when the
trusts are as firmly intrenched in the courts
as the Boers on Spion Kop.
Through the people? Certainly, and
easily. Every man who has a vote can put
a nail in the coffin of trust oppression, and
if given an opportunity the people ean be
relied upon to effect their own deliverance
and to regulate their own grievances.
The Standard oil company is often pointed
to as an ideal trust. So it is. The evils
which exist in this company exist to a
greater or less degree in all trusts. This
company brings oil from the earth for 15
cents a barrel and sells it to the laboring
man for $4 a barrel, a price which enables
it to pay a dividend of 33 per cent. on an
enormous capital.
Thus, if the poor Standard Oil laborer
working for $4 a month should fall heir to
$1,600 and could invest it in Standard Oil
stock he would receive in interest the
ghonit of his wages during his natural
ife.
When a man lends money on these fig-
ures the law deals with him as a usarer.
The law should likewise deal with oppres-
sive trusts as usurers. Miller, the Brook-
lyn swindler, was run out of town for rob-
bing the poor to pay the poor. Oppressive
trusts rob the poor to bribe the powerful,
as well as to enrich their own pockets.
The best way to regulate a snake is with
aclub. When it is thus regulated it be-
comes harmless. There is no need of kill-
ing the trusts. It is only necessary that
their oppressive power shall be broken and
their poison fangs extracted.
This can be effected without a Constitu-
tional Amendment or a commission that
will sink itself purposely into the mud to
find what is visible on the surface.
Place the campaign ery against Sppres-
sive trusts properly before the people and
there will be no doubt as to the result.
Christianizing the Philippines.
From the Altoona Times.
When the Americans came into posses-
sion of the city of Manila, there were just
three places in the Philippine metropolis
where liquor could be bought. Now there
are 400 existing there, by and with the
consent of Mr. McKinley. Military rule
is all that we have in the Philippines to-
day. The President is the commander in
chief of the army and navy and if he wishes
to he can shut off the sale of intoxicants in
Manila. Mr. McKinley’s power is supreme
in the Philippine capital. What he wants
to do there, he can perform. The place is
under martial law. There is nothing what-
ever to prevent him from closing up all
the saloons and the responsibility for keep-
ing them open rests on his shoulders.
Hold on to Your Walnut Trees.
From the Gettysburg Complier.
Nearly every country newspaper that we
read tells about some farmer selling his
walnut trees for the purpose of having them
manufactured into lumber for shipment to
Germany, says an exchange. Evidently
these farmers have not thought much about
what these walnut trees will be worth in
the near future. They will only realize
this when the trees are gone and the prices
of walnut double twenty or thirty times.
Don’t sell your walnut trees. Keep them
on your farm. They are not only good for
fruit bust the increase in price which we are
sure to realize in after years will more than
pay the interest on the sum paid you now
for them.
It is Usually That Way.
From the Easton Argus.
It is found that after four months hard
work in getting subscriptions to perpetuate
the Dewey arch in New York, only $160,-
000 has so far been secured. While New
York was in hysterics over the arrival of
Admiral Dewey and in admiration of that
grand work of art, there were many to
make the assertion that no difficulty would
be experienced in collecting $500,000 for
the work of making the arch permanent.
At this late date it appears that somebody
was very liberal in offering someone else’s
money.
Legislators at Frankfort.
The Republican Members of the Kentucky House and
Senate Met There Sunday.
FRANKFORT, Ky., Feb. 12.—The Repub-
lican House and Senate met at 12 o’clock
to-day, nine being present in the latter
and twenty-eight in the former. The Sen-
ate appointed a committee to inform Gov-
ernor Taylor that it had convened in
Frankfort and was ready for business. It
reported in a few minutes that Governor
Taylor had received the message and re-
plied : “Well, go ahead.” The House ap-
pointed a similar committee and both
houses then adjourned for the day.
——You cannot touch pitch without be-
eoning defiled. Elections cannot be made a
mockery for years without the public con-
science becoming corrupted.—Phila. Press.
In this the Press is right, and being so,
think of the condition the public conscience
of Philadelphia must be in by this time.
Spawls from the Keystone.
—During the month of January there were
sixty deaths in Johnstown.
—Bedford again has its streets illuminated
by electricity and is happy in consequence.
—Pennsylvania has more national banks
than any other state. The number 1s 436.
New York has 397. Total in the United
Stat) £-ana=Ngl
—X trade of Punxsutawney
has ple v a shoe factory which
local i ~ww-propose starting. It will
give ew ent to 25 men at first.
G. B. slerrill and brother have about
completed the remodeling of their saw mill
on Dent’s Run, and will be ready to start up
as soon as the freezing weather has disap-
peared.
—Thirteen months old James Brown, of
Eldred, Saturday stuck a celluloid comb into
an open grate. The comb exploded, ignited
James’ dress, and before his mother could
beat out the flames he was fatally burned.
The National hotel and three adjoining
dwellings were destroyed by fire at Hastings
Thursday morning, the loss being $5,400,
with only partial insurance. The fire de-
partment of Hastings, consists of a bucket
brigade.
—The Pine Grove school house in Monroe
township, Bedford county, was destroyed by
fire on Monday evening of last week. The
fire is believed to have been of incendiary
origin, and is laid at the door of some bad
boys in the vicinity.
—John Snyder, of the east end of Nittany
valley, while hauling logs to a mill a few
days ago, had his one foot severely injured
by having it caught between a piece of tim-
ber and a stump. It was the last load that
he intended hauling.
—Elmer E. Haagen, a former Clinton coun-
ty boy, who has been lumbering at Kerrmoor
Clearfield county, for several years, has clos-
ed a contract for about 30,000,000 of virginia
pine and hemlock timber in Indiana county
and has commenced to cut it.
—The barn of Charles Yohn, near Beaver
station on the H. B. T. R. R., was totally
destroyed by fire on Wednesday evening
last, together with all ifs contents excepting
the stock. The loss will amount to about
$1,000, on which there was an insurance of
$500.
—John Slagle, a resident of Clarion coun-
ty, aged about 65 years, committed suicide
by shooting his head off a few days ago. The
family had left the house and when they
returned his body was found in the wash
house, with his head fearfully shattered and
an empty shot gun at his side.
—The school teachers of Hopewell town-
ship, Bedford county, have struck or intend
to strike for higher salaries. They have so
notified the directors. When it is known
that the salaries ift that township range from
$23 to $26 per month it will not be wondered
at that the pedagogues insist on more money.
—The plans for a wagon bridge across the
Susquehanna river from Shamokin dam to
Sunbury have been completed. The bridge
will be a handsome iron structure with
eleven piers, and will be twenty feet wide.
The A. & P. Roberts company have con-
tracted for the iron. The structure will cost
$140,000.
—Lee Scott, a young son of Mr. and Mrs.
Howard Scott, of Jersey Shore, formerly of
Philipsburg, had a clear toy in his mouth a
few days ago. The piece of candy slipped
into his throat and choked him. The father
ran for the doctor, but the mother succeeded
in dislodging it just as the child was getting
black in the face.
—Charles Steward, was driving from North
Bend to market at Renovo, a few days ago,
when his team went over an embankment of
thirty-five feet. He jumped out of the
wagon, but horse, wagon and goods went
down on to the railroad track. The horse
was bruised badly. Mr. Steward wants dam-
ages from the township.
—The second death among the smallpox
victims at Larimer tipple occurred Sunday
morning. The victim was John Favarel.
He was in an isolated shanty near the tipple
for several days without fire, food or drink
before he was discovered. The Italian who
died Friday was buried on Saturday and the
body taken in a round about way to the
cemetery.
—The, attorneys for the defense in the
Harmon murder case, Clearfield county, in
which a verdict of manslaughter was ren-
dered, have made a motion for a new trial,
and the motion will be argued before the
argument court the first Monday of next
month. The bail of the prisoner of the sum
of $10,000 has been renewed and he will be
granted his liberty until that time.
— Patrick Crossen, clerk at the Armstrong
cafe, Johnsonburg, is battling with death as
the result of injuries received at the hands
of David Schrumm. Schrumm ordered an
oyster stew Friday night. When it was
served he complained that it was too hot.
Then Schrumm threw the stew on the floor
and hurled the bowl at Crossen, fracturing
his skull. He admitted throwing the bowl
before Squire Secrist, and was lodged in jail
at Ridgway.
—Mrs. F. A. Heydrich, who has been at
the residence of George Poorman, Castanea,
is suffering from a severely scalded face.
Mrs. Heydrich went to a kettle, in which
chestnuts were being boiled, to remove the
lid. As she did so, there was a loud report,
and the chestnuts and boiling water blew up
against the ceiling. The scalding water and
chestnuts struck Mrs. Heydrich in the face.
In several places the burns are so deep that
it is feared that scars will remain. Her one
eye is nearly closed and large blisters cover
other portious of the face. The scalds were
attended to. What caused the chestnuts to
fly from the kettle is not known.
—The body of Wallace Mohan was found
on the ice of Little Bailey Run, Potter coun-
ty, Friday morning, with his head crushed
in. Mohan is a log jobber, and, as a rule,
carried considerable money about him, and
as it was near pay day the theory is that he
was waylaid and robbed. He was known to
have left a ‘‘pig’s ear” at Blowville about 11
o'clock Thursday night, and some are in-
clined to the theory that he was followed,
waylaid and robbed by denizens of that
place. The spot where Mohan’s body was
found is about two miles from the point
where William Ayres, a wealthy farmer was
murdered a couple of years ago, and whose
murder still remains a mystery. Mohan
leaves a widow and three children at Austia.