BY P. GRAY MEEK.
EE ———————r
Ink Slings.
—The constant rains of the past week
ceased yesterday, as if out of respect for the
comfort of the old soldiers.
—Mr. QUAY has decided to permit the
Legislature to adjourn on June 27th.
Thank you, Mr. QUAY.
—The washing that the blue stockings
of Presbyterianism got in Philadelphia re-
sulted in their losing most of their color.
—Tom JOHNSON must be a very happy
man, for he says he would rather be mayor
of Cleveland than President. How well it
is that he is satisfied.
—Why has it taken scientists all these
years to discover that there is snow on the
moon when we all have been able to see
blood on it many a time.
—The American soldier at Peking who
shot at one German soldier and hit another
one a mile away knocked into smithereens
the old saying that ‘‘a miss is as good as a
mile.”
—If King AL the Seventh did have to
wait long years to mount the throne the
good sense he has been displaying shows
conclusively that be hadn’t reached his
dotage.
—Though it has been decided that the
constitution follows the flag af the present
rate of advancement of the latter there is
little likelihood of their ever getting to-
gether again.
—May not only has the full comple-
ment of days allotted to a calendar
month, but with her close to-day she will
have accomplished the longest rain ever
known in this section.
—1It doesn’t necessarily follow that, be-
cause the Towa Presbyterian Assembly has
read all Masons and Odd Fellows out of
Heaven, there will be a great smell of
burning feathers in other quarters.
—Professor PICKERING, of Harvard, has
announced his discovery of snow on the
moon, and the scientific world is jexpress-
ing the proper amount of amazement. It
is not stated whether he has rd the
jingle of sleigh bells up there or actually
seen “‘the beautiful.’’
—The Legislature has begun to strike at
municipal rights. Railroads are to be in-
corporated with underground, surface and
overhead rights; which means that they
can tear up your cellar, run through your
lawn or over your parlor floor or even put
your garret out of business as a quiet,
musty receptacle for old clothes.
—Senator’s TILLMAN and MeLAURIN,
of South Carolina, have both resigned their
seats and will, nos fight it out on their
merits before the: people of that State.
There can berbut-little doubt as to which
learn to realize shat they are getting their
education and promise of future employ-
ment at good wages from public, and not
from private means, the better -it will be
for them. Boys in other spheres are usual-
ly glad to do as they are told by their
benefactors, out of pure gratitude. The
same spirit of gratitude should pervade the
West Pointer, in addition to tbe respect for
discipline in things military. ©
—The decision of the Supreme court in
declaring the ‘‘ripper’’ bills constitutional
should not cause any wonderment. What
else was to have been expected ? QUAY
owns the Legislature, the Legislature pass-
ed the bill. QUAY owns the Governor, the
Governor signed the bill. QUAY owns the
Supreme court and the Supreme court de-
clared the bill constitutional. There is
nothing extraordinary in that. The thing
that the people of Pennsylvania should
look to is as to how one man can so com-
pletely dominate the law making powers
of both city and State.
—Just because a Supreme court, that
bas been pampered by appointments of
favorite sons to fat government jobs, has
ruled that Senator FORAKER’S tariff out-
rage upon the Porto Ricans is constitution-
al that leather-lunged statesman from
Ohio thinks the presidential lightning has
struck him. Why, going on the same
premise, we might just as well groom Sen-
ator QUAY, for has’nt the Supreme court
sustained both his ‘‘Ripper’’ and school
appropriation monstrosities? The cases
are almost identical, but instead of making
presidential timber out of them the whole
country would blush for such examples of
the degeneration of the judiciary.
—Mounday’s New York Sun devotes a
column to exploiting the new order of
“Don’t Knockers’’ which has lately come
out of Buffalo, the eleven-cent town on the
shores of Lake Erie. The principles and
aims of the “Don’t Knockers’ are indeed
laudable and we would be happy to know
that every man and woman, especially the
women, in the universe will become a
member. ‘‘Don’t Knock,” is the later day
slang for don’t say harsh things about any-
one, don’t back-bite, defame or make be-
littling remarks about your friends or
neighbors and in the launching of this
order of “Don’t Knockers” the traveling
men of Buffalo may live to see a noble and
elevating result come out of their effort,
which is evidently being made very much
with the same joking purpose that gave
birth to the ‘‘Buffaloes.”” We would advise
the New York Sun to give serious consid-
eration to its own editorial on the subject,
For of all the “Knockers,” !
In this “Knocking land,”
As a constant “Knocker”’
The Sun beats the band.
Eo
Ae
VOL. 46
Furnishing the Ammunition.
——
Our good Democratic friend ex-Lient.
Governor BLACK ought to pass a vote of
thanks to the Supreme court of the State.
For over a dozen of years he has contended
for a constitutional convention and a re-
vision of the constitution. The Supreme
court has just furnished the strongest rea-
son why a convention should be called and
why material changes should be made in
the organic law of the Commonwealth.
The people of the State have all along
been under the impression that the ‘‘Legis-
lative power of the Commonwealth’ was
‘‘vested in the General Assembly,’ and that
it was the duty and right of the Legisla-
ture to fix the amounts, and purposes for
‘which, public moneys should be appro-
priated. The Supreme court says this im-
pression is wrong, and that it isa pre-
rogative of the Governor to say how much
and for what purposes the public moneys
shall go, and that in matters of appropri-
ations his will is law and that that law is
final and irrevocable.
It has been the belief of the same people
that the constitution guaranteed them cer-
tain ‘‘inalienable rights,’” among which
was the right to choose their own local
agents, representatives or officials. This the
Supreme court admits, but practically de-
cides that the Legislature is higher than the
constitution, and that it can take from the
people their guaranteed right, and give to
the Governor the power to appoint the
local officers for any municipality.
They have lived under the delusion that
the Supreme court was established, prin-
cipally to see that the guarantees of the
constitution were not denied the people,
and that its provisions were not violated
by legislative enactment, or official as-
sumption. That tribunal—the highest and
of last resort—has just decided that when
the Legislature over-rides the constitution
and robs the people of their guaranteed
privileges, though it is ‘‘unwise, unjust,
oppressive or violative of the rights of the
citizen it is mo part of that ‘‘court’s busi-
ness to interfere.”
And here is just where we are :
We have a Governor clothed with legis-
lative powers and who is placed over and
above the Legislatnre. =
We have a Legiglature that; in matters
of guaranteed rights, is recognized as high-
er than the constitution. : :
And we have a Supreme court that de--
clares it is none of its business when the
“natural or political rights of the citizen
are violated’’ by legislative enactment or
executive assumption.
Now we hold that if the first two
positions of the Supreme court are correct,
we need a change inthe constitution, and
we need it badly and quickly.
If they are not correct, we need a change
in that instrument that will abolish the
present court and give us some tribunal
that will know what it is there for. One that
will at least recognize the fact that consti-
tutional provisions should stand some show
as against the behests of a boss.
Hereafter the WATCHMAN is with Gov.
BLACK, for constitutional revision.
The Amend Honorable.
We owe an apology to our esteemed con-
temporary the Philadelphia Press, and
hasten to offer it. Last week we charged
that that paper had maligned Governor
STONE and Justice POTTER of the Supreme
court and having refused to make just rep-
aration, is a licentious publication un-
worthy of confidence and respect. The
Press had stated that Justice POTTER had
informed the Governor that Justice
MITCHELL, Justice BROWN, Justice FELL
and himself had agreed to vote to affirm
the constitutionality of the Pittsburg ‘‘rip-
per’’ bill. The Governor and Justice de-
nied the accusation emphatically and the
paper reaffirmed it. /
That seemed to us clearly and unequivocal-
ly licentious. It has not been the custom
of Governors of Pennsylvania to deliberate-
ly lie and we have never before known of a
Justice of the Supreme court even prevari-
cating, let alone actually falsifying. For
that reason we suggested to the Press, in
our issue of two weeks ago, that it onght to
apologize. But it didn’t do anything of
‘the kind. On the contrary it showed no
signs of contrition and as a matter of fact
held its head up just as a respectable and
fair-minded newspaper might do. This
naturally incensed us. We have our prej-
udices, political and otherwise, but we be-
lieve in fair play and vilifying a Governor
is not that.
‘But in the light of later information we
have come to the conclusion that the es-
teemed Press owes no apology to either the
Governor or Justice POTTER. The vote
on the ‘‘ripper’’hill'on Monday shows con-
clusively that what it said was true and
that the Governor and the Justice did lie
most deliberately. = This fact brings shame
to the face nf every self-respecting citizen
of Pennsylvania, but there is no escape
from it. We have in the Governor’s of-
fice a vulgar falsifier and on the Supreme
bench, by his own appointment, an official
who leaks and lies both. The Philadelphia
Press was right and we hasten to offer it
our apology. Af
\
—
TR
tlic;
STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION.
BELLEFONTE, PA., MAY 31, 1901.
An Interesting Series.
Editor SHORT, of the Clearfield Republi-
can,promises the patrons of his paper a rare
treat in the near future. He has beenserv-
ing as a staff correspondent of a Pittsburg
paper since the opening of the Legislature
and now declares that after the session ad-
journs he will prepare and publish a ‘‘se-
ries of articles covering that part of the do-
ings at the state capitol which have thus
far never appeared in print.” The office
of staff correspondent at the state capitol
is a peculiar one. It practically involves
the right to go everywhere, see everything
and print what you like. Such an assign-
ment is rich in possiblities, and if Mr.
SHORT will print all that he saw and heard
during the nearly five months that have
elapsed since the opening of the Legislature
that bas “‘thus far never appeared in print,’’
he will astonish the natives and send a few
statesmen into permanent and perpetual
retirement. :
Mr. SHORT'S program will prove very
interesting, if it is correctly stated, and is
faithfully carried out. He will open the
series of articles, according to his own
statement, with a dissertation on the price
paid for votes. It would be impossible to
select a more interesting subject. There
are various rumors concerning the matter,
one of which may be stated in this way.
When the Pittsburg ‘‘ripper’’ bill was
pending in the Senate one of the recreant
Democrats promised to vote against it on
account of his personal friendship for the
late Senator MAGEE. Shortly afterward,
according to popular rumor, the manager
of the campaign against the bill informed
him that an appropriation had been made
by those interested and his share would be
$10,000 which was entirely satisfactory.
Subsequently the other side offered $20,000
for a vote and he applied for release from
his former contract. After more or less
persuasion the release was given and he ap-
plied for the larger bribe only to learn that
the necessary number had been secured and
he got pay from neither.
Mr. SHORT also promises an article ol
‘‘the difficulties encountered by the pur-
chasers?’ This is likewise a deeply inter-
esting subject and recalls the story told by
the late Mr. KEMBLE about the late Jas.
G." BLAINE. ‘When Mr. BLAINE was
Speaker of the House in ‘Washington, Mr.
KEMBLE stated, there was some legislation
pending in which the Philadelphia banker
was interested. As a precautionary meas-
ure he went to see the Speaker and staked
him with a $5,000 roll. Subsequently
BLAINE came to him and stated that the
other side was paying more and demanded
an increase of the purchase price of $2,500
which was given. In the Pittsburg “rip-
per’ itis alleged that one Assemblyman
sold his vote to both sides and didn’t de-
liver it to either but was $10,000 ahead of
the game when the thing was over.
There are a number of other interesting
matters in editor SHORT’S program among
which are the characteristics of the pur-
chasable Legislator; how many of the laws
now on the statute book were forced
through, and how the necessary 103 were
often obtained. The characteristics of the
purchasable Legislator are various and
obvions, but we prefer not to anticipate our
Clearfield contemporary, and how the nec-
essary votes are often obtained is equally
interesting. No doubt Mr. SHORT will
write an interesting series of articles on the
subject chosen by himself and in any event
we hope he may be able to carry out his
program without encountering the heavy
hand of the law, for the Legislature that sug-
gested such topics for journalistic exploita-
tion was careful to revise the libel law also.
The ‘Ripper” Decision.
The Supreme court of Pennsylvania is
subservient enough to the Governor of the
State to do his bidding, but it can’t conceal
its resentment because the humiliation has
been put npon it. That is to say in the
opinion affirming the constitutionality of
the Pittsburg ‘‘ripper’’ bill, Justice MITCH-
ELL, who is credited with the authorship
of it, declares that “‘the fact that the action
of the State towards its municipal agents
is unwise, unjust, oppressive or violative
of the natural or political rights of their
citizens is not one which can be made the
basis of action by the judiciary.” In oth-
er words the court practically asserts, the
law in question is atrocious but political
exigencies required it and the Supreme
court will not interfere with its operations.
In the entire history of American ju-
risprudence so infamous a declaration has
never -before been recorded. The worst
oharge that has been made against the bill
is acknowledged, but the slaves of a corrupt
party machine who have been chosen to
construe the laws protest that they have no
power to give relief. The measure is hoth
unwise and unjust. It subverts natural
and political rights of citizens of the Com-
monwealth, but the court of last resort can
give no redress. The gentlemen who com-
pose that tribunal are obliged, according to
their own statement to sit supinely while
the *unjust ordinances of a venal Legisla-
ture and a monstrous Executive are tramp-
ling under foot the natural and political
rights of the people.
Was there ever before such a shameless
confession of imbecility made by grown
men to an intelligent people? It isa lie
that the judiciary has no basis for action
under the circumstances. A bench with
the least spark of integrity and manhood
in its make-up would have found, as Jus-
tices DEAN ‘and MESTREZAT and Chief
Justice MeCuLLoM found, not only the
‘basis of action,”’ but abundant and over-
whelming reasons. The majority of the
court could find no basis for action because
they were bribed or dragooned into a decis-
ion which is so palpably absurd that in-
telligent school boys would blush with
shame if it were attributed them. Shame
on such venality or imbecility and the four
Justices whose actions were hawked about
in bar-rooms for a month can elect which
class they belong to.
A Jolt that Will Jar Considerably.
Either the editor of the Philadelphia
Times was away from home on Thursday
of last week, or his ideas of supporting the
“fundamental principles’”’ of Democracy
are not such as are calculated to commend
that journal to the confidence of those who
understand and believe themselves to be
Democrats. In the issue of the date named
that paper takes occasion to earnestly
commend Senator MCLAURIN, of South
Carolina, as a progressive and reliable Dem-
ocrat, whose course is deserving - of the
warmest praise and whose example other
Democrats would do well to follow.
When we remember that Senator Mc-
LAURIN, since his election to the United
State Senate, has on almost every import-
ant issue given his voice and vote to the
administration as against his ownparty,
and the principles it believed to be funda-
mentally Democratic, it is difficult to under-
stand why any professed Democrat should
either approve his course or endorse his
actions. Since getting into the Senate his
principal efforts have been to discourage,
demoralize and divide the Democracy; to
create suspicion as to the good faith and
purposes of tose who have labored to keep
1ts organization in tact; to glorify the pol-
icy of the Repablican administration, and
to magnify the benefits it claims as the re-
-sul.of its work. His vote, while in the
{ House, for high protective tariffs; his sup-
«port, since in the Senate, of the’ Paris |’
treaty; MCKINLEY'S Philippine policy;
the permanent increase of the army; Mark
HANNA’s ship subsidy, and Republican
measures generally, to say nothing of his
laudation of the effects of Republican
financial theories or his acceptance of the
position of purveyor of Republican patron-
age throughout the South, tells, without
additional words, the kind of a Democrat
heis, and the kind of Democracy the coun-
try would have should the party follow
his advice or submit itself to the leadership
that approves his betrayal of Democratic
prineiples.
In its endorsement of Senator Mc-
LAURIN and his efforts to please the
reigning Republican dynasty.in defiance of
Democratic opinion and at the expense of
Democratic tenets, we fear the Times has
given its ‘fundamental Democracy’’ a jolt
that is likely to be felt for some time.
The Capitol Building Bill.
The Fox capitol building bill, which had
been made a special order for consideration
in the House at Harrisburg, on Tuesday
on second reading and for final passage the
following day, was postponed on the
motion of one of the machine managers on
Tuesday. Because sufficient time had not
been given for the consideration of the
grave questions involved, remarked Rep-
resentative MCCLAIN, of Lancaster, whose
face resembles that of the man in a full
moon and whose conscience is no more sen-
sitive, ‘therefore I move that the con-
sideration of the bill be postponed for the
present.”’ The motion prevailed and the
measure will not come up again until next
week.
. Whenever the machine has a bit of par-
ticularly hypocritical work to perform it
‘puts forward Mr. McCLAIN to discharge
the lip service. The music of his own
throat is sweeter to his ear than the Siren’s
song to those it beguiles to death. With-
out conscience to restrain his voice, he
pledges anything and makes himself ab-
surd with his profession of sincerity. For
these reasons when MCCLAIN said that his
motion was influenced by a desire to give
a greater measure of deliberation to the
subject everybody who heard him
knew that it was made because a canvass
had shown an insufficient number of af-
firmative votes to pass it. Because every-
body favors a just capitol building hill the
motion to postpone was allowed to pass.
If there had been a feeling of hostility to
the measure that motion would have been
defeated and the bill voted down irretriev-
ably.
At present it looks as if the boodlers
who have been trying to force this gigantic
steal through the Legislature will be forced
to yield to reason. If they had been able
to pass the hill finally, as it got through the
House there would have been a saturnalia
of plunder during the next few years. With
Iz DURHAM’S brother-in-law in charge of
the work at least two of the five millions
appropriated would have been stolen and
divided. But it is now so evident that
such a robbery can’t be perpetrated that
the ‘machine may agree to a reasonably
honest bill and when they come to that
frame of mind it will be adopted. But
there must be reasonable guarantees of
honesty. mic et
a
on REGRET on
NO. 22.
The Pride of the Parasite.
From the Philadelphia North American.
Andrew Carnegie’s offer of $10,000,000
to the Scottish universities to pay for the
tuition of all students is resented violently
in some quarters. The London Review of
the Week is especially indignant and says:
We trust’ in Scottish pride to rise in its wrath
against this invasion of the almighty dollar.
Many of the oldest and best families in Scotland
send their sons {o Scottish universities, where
they pay fees like the sons of their humblest
neighbors, neither more nor less. Is it to be be-
lieved that this will continue if the fees are paid
for them by Mr. Carnegie ? Imagine the Duke of
Hamilton, Cameron of Lochiel, or MacDonald of
the Isles allowing their heirs to get education at
the cost of an American ironmonger!
While Scottish pride is rising in its
wrath and sparning Mr. Carnegie’s millions
the Review might profitably devote its edi-
torial leisure to consideration of the cus-
tomary sources from which the Duke of
Hamiiton and MacDonald of the Isles de-
rive money to pay for the education of
their heirs. :
It is a curiously perverted pride that re-
fuses the freely given millions of the iron-
monger and takes without shame the
pennies of the peasant. The Dukes of
Hamilton and the Lords of the Isles have
lived for generations wholly upon the earn-
ings of their humble neighbors, have been
educated at the expense of those too poor
to send their own sons to universities, have
had all the luxuries of life, leisure, travel,
food and fine raiment, at the cost of Scot-
tish tenants, and have shown no sign of
being humiliated by their parasitic de-
pendence on the industrious fellow-Seots.
Are the dollars of the Scotch-American
iron master more stained with the grime of
labor than the sixpences of the clansman
jingling in the pocket of Cameron of
Lochiel ? The source of all the wealth of
a hereditary aristocracy is that strange
alchemy, noted by Carlyle, by which every
third nettle gathered by an old peasant
woman for her broth is diverted to the
seigneur, the lord of the land, sitting idle
in his chatean. At least the ironmaster
has not been a drone in the hive of indus-
try, even if he has taken more than bis
share of the wealth produced by the swarm.
When the Dukes of Scotland, the Lords of
the Isles and the chiefs of Highland clans
can proudly boast that they take gifts
from no man—peasant or millionaire—that
all they have is theirs by right, that they
spend only what they earn, then may Scot-
tish pride arise in its wrath against the in-
vasion of the eleemosynary dollar and
sternly bid the American ironmonger to be
just before he is prodigal and return his
obnoxious millions to those from whom
they were extracted by the strange alchemy
of custom. ;
Befare the People.
From the Altoona Times. w
Senators Tillman and McLaurin have re-
signed their seats in the Senate as the
representatives in that body of the State of
South Carolina. The event is one of great
importance in the field of politics. Both
Tillman and McLaurin will be candidates
for re-election to the Senate and a struggle
is certain. The Palmetto State will be
canvassed throughout by the two Senators
and an interesting and spirited time is
assured. The question of election to the
Senate in South Carolina is settled by a
direct appeal to the electors of the State.
Senator McLaurin, although elected as a
Democrat, has hecome practically a Repub-
lican. In January last he announced him-
self as favoring a ship subsidy and since
that time he has accepted substantially the
entire program of Republicanism. He has
avowed himself to be an advocate of the
trusts. He is an imperialist and he favors
the project of the United States holding
territory which shall not be governed by
the constitutional restrictions. It is quite
certain that in the contest between Till-
man and McLaurin there will be no words
wasted in idle expressions. It will also be
a fight to the finish and the battle will be
waged relentlessly against the vanquished.
As Tillman is the Democratic leader in
South Carolina and as he is the head of a
strong organization, there does not seem to
be any reason to doubt that he will win.
Organized Labor and Organized Capital,
From the Boston Post.
As the head of the most tremendous
and unprecedented organization of capital
in industry—the value and necessity of
which organization has been so alluringly
preached in financial centres—Mr. Schwab
should at least show frankness and fair |
-play in recognizing the necessity of the or-
ganization of labor under these circum-
stances. There 18 no room for argument
in the proposition that it is just as legiti-
mate and just as essential to organize labor
as to organize capital. Indeed, the organi-
zation of labor, if it is to retain any inde-
pendence at all, must keep pace with the
organization of capital.
That the conditions of labor in “this
country have improved materially as the
result of the organization of labor is clearly
shown by the most cursory examination of
industrial statistics. It is true that there
have been abuses by organized labor, but
organized capital has vastly more to answer
for in this same direction.
And not the least encouraging feature of
the times is the growing conservatism and
good sense with which most labor organi-
zations are controlled. Organized capital
might well learn something from organi-
zed labor in this respect.
‘What organization on the side both of
labor and of capital should clearly and
persistently bear in mind is that equity
and fair play must be the basis of the perm-
anent and substantial advance of either.
The Heart of the Question,
From the Galveston News.
Eastern Republicans are declaring that it
is altogether out of place for Republicans
to talk about cutting away the protective
features of the tariff. But the Republican
farmers of the Northwest do not care much
for forms. They get right down to the
heart of the question when they ask why
‘the protective industries sell their wares
to the foreigner - cheaper than they sell to
the Northwestern farmer.
Tillman. and. McLaurin to: Fights Ont
Spawls from the Keystone.
—T. R. Stockdale was made postmaster at
Nettle Hill Tuesday. :
—Governor Stone, Tuesday, fixed July 23rd
for the exeeution of Elmer E. Basner, at
Harrisburg.
—After an idleness of a year the Continent-
al Iron Works, at Wheatland, resumed oper-
ations Tuesday.
—Bishop Potter, of New York, Tuesday
1aid the corner stone of the new Y. M. C. A.
building at Scranton.
—DMiss Lizzie M. Betz, Friday, shot and
killed a large snake which had intruded into
the garden of her mother’s farm, near the
Joint school house, in Cambria county.
—The Rev. R. P. Miller, for fourteen
years pastor of the Homestead church, has
asked his people to release him, that he may
accept a call to Philipsburg, Centre county.
Mr. Miller will be released at the June meet-
ing of Presbytery.
—The suit of ex-editor James C. Begley, of
the Windber Journal, against the Pennsylva-
nia railroad company for $30,000 damages in
the loss of his wife and child and personal
injuries at Johnstown last July, will be tried
| in Somerset, June 5th.
—Col. Henry C. Demming, of Harrisburg,
commander of Post No. 58, G. A. R. of that
city, is being strongly boomed for the dis-
tinguished honor of Department Commander
to be elected at the next annual state re-
union at Gettysburg next month.
—The large blast furnace at Dancannon
between the railroad and the river, is to be
torn down to make room for the improve-
ments in progress by the Pennsylvania rail-
road company. The furnace has been idle
for 7 years. Years ago it was a busy plant
and gave employment to 100 men.
—Early Friday morning burglars entered
the hotel Arrack, at Luthersburg, Clearfield
county, and stole the cash register from the
bar room. The thieves took the register up
to a hill near the town, where they broke it
to pieces and secured checks and money
amounting to $173. :
—Among the innovations in the way of
hauling timber to Indiana from tracts distant
from fifteen to thirty miles, are road engines,
says the Messenger of that town, adding :
“They are capable of hauling from 5,000 to
15,000 feet of lumber, according to the kind-
of trucks used. Once more the horse is get-
ting it in the neck, so to speak.
—Johnsonburg is making great prepara
tions for the ninth annual reunion of the
Knights of Pythias of the first reunion dis-
trict of Pennsylvania, composed of Elk,
Clearfield, Jefferson and Indiana counties,
which contain upwards of forty lodges of the
order. The reunion will be held Thursday,
June 13th.
—Invitations are out announcing the much-
talked-of marriage of Miss Honora Patton,
daughter of the late Hon. John Patton, de-
ceased, of Curwensville, to Dr. Edmund
Louis Gross, of Paris. The ceremony will
take place at 10 o’clock Friday, Jone 7th, in
the Methodist church at Curwensville, fol-
lowed by an elaborate reception at the Patton
home.
=a freight brakeman named W. M. Wise,
.| while on top of a box car of his train moving
east between 8 and 9 o'clock Saturday morn-
ing, struck the left side of his head against
the stock shute above the Tyrone depot, cut-
‘ting a gash in his face and dazing him for
some time, but he did not fall off the car.
Dr. Fulkerson dressed the wound and he was
able to go to his home at Mifflin alone on
Main line express at noon.
—A fierce battle occurred near Shawsville,
Clearfield county, Saturday evening. About
forty Italians and negroes, all employed on
the West Branch Valley railroad, took part.
The negroes visited the Italian’s camp, and
during their stay Charles Green, colored, ac-
cused one of the Italians of stealing his knife.
This started the fight. Revolvers were drawn
and both sides kept firing until their ammu-
nition was exhausted. Four of the Italians
and three negroes were injured. Two for-
eigners and one colored man were shot, and
the others were injured by flying stones.
—Farmer Isaiah Blakeman and his son, of
near Canton, Bradford county, were render-
ed unconscious by a lightning stroke Friday
evening. The team with which they were
working in a field was killed. The accident
happened at 5 o'clock and it was 9 o'clock
before Mr. Blakeman and his boy were re-
suscitated. They were engaged at harrow-
ing when the storm arose and had turned to
drive to shelter when a bolt of lightning
knocked Blakeman, the boy and the team
prostrate. It was thought at first that both
father and son were dead.
—A startling episode occurred in the court
room at Lewisburg Tuesday morning in the
equity suit now on trial between Joseph C.
Nesbit, builder, and the trustees of Christ's
Evangelical church of Lewisburg. Attorney
James Scarlet, of Danville, who represented
the plaintiff, jumped to his feet and a cloud
of smoke was seen to envelop him. It was
only after several men rushed to his assist-
ance that his coat was thrown off and the
fire put out, but several pairs of hands were
severely burned. It wasn’t the heat of the ar-
gument nor his burning eloquence that start-
ed the blaze, but a package of chloride of pot-
| ash and some matches that he carelessly car-
ried in his pocket. After the excitement was
over Mr. Scarlet remarked that it was “a
little too early to burn up lawyers.
—One of the strangest things in railroad.
ing happened on the Buffalo, Rochester and
Pittsburg near Mossgrove the other day. A
train loaded with steel rails was coming
north from Pittsburg. Some of the rails were
loaded on ‘twin cars’ and when the train was
rounding the curve the brakeman noticed
that the car wheels on one side were being
lifted off the track. He signaled the engi-
neer to stop, and the engine was stopped and
the train came to a standstill. But imagine
the surprise and consternation of the train
crew when the cars began to topple over.
The twin cars were slowly raised off the
track, as though some ponderous derrick
were hoisting them, and the cars and rails
were dumped off, the cars turned completely
over with the trucks on top. This strange
action was accounted for in this way : When
the cars were going round the curve the rails
were sprung and when the train came toa
standstill the rails slowly straightened, thus
pulling the cars over.