i + =:Now doth the eweetgirl srsidnate Re
- 2 And her brother B.S. too, id
Go up against the hard old world
In quest of aught to do.’ Fs
—So ROOSEVELT ‘and FAIRBANKS ar
be the martyrs, are they ?
i — isn’t hard to. be good when a a
hals no more money to go the pace with
pail argament t Chicago during ¥ ‘thie
week. ;
; This alk of Parson tor President i is |"
nos "Seyond the. range'el Pleasing possi
fies. :
The: Altoona priilal
‘Altoona shops, seem
light these days. Chg
o—It is up’ to council to A the
southern section’ of ‘the Water treet wall,
The sooner the better. :
'—July the Fourth will soon oo) here
with its ‘shootin’ bombs and rockets ; and
our kids. - will drag the ning of all our
trouser’s pockets.
—On all sides the voters are saying:
“JorN Norn, is a strong candidate.” . Of
course he is. He is a good, clean, honor-
‘able gentleman and everybody knows it.
. .—They say there is luck in alliterations,
but the DALE and DALEY combination had
all’ of it ruled out of it by Judge LOVE'S
personally conducted couniy convention
last week.
—When ROOSEVELT said, at Valley Forge,
‘3 man to amount to anything must be
practical,” he was probably thinking of his
personally conducted campaign for
President.
.. —TEDDY told the Republican voters of
‘tke ‘country everything they must doin
‘their convention, but will his dictatorship
be so supreme when it comes to casting
their votes,
—Senator FAIRBANKS may be ‘‘a woolly
‘horse, as President ROOSEVELT is sup-
posed to have called him some time ago,
bus he will never be the Vice President of
the United States.
' © —Can it be that the frost that was given
the Republican national convention in
Chicago during the fore part of the week
is responsible for the cool weather we have
be en having for the past few days?
—The recent discovery of twelve hun-
dred fraudulent registrations in one ward
in Philadelphia is notice to the world that
Pennsylvania intends rolling up another
record breaking majority for Republican-
ism.
—The new bar in the Auditorinm an-
nex at Chicago is called the Pompeiian
room, although it can hardly he said that
many of the liquid refreshments served
-there are actually of the pompeiian red
shade.
—As the list of drowning accidents grows
from day to day we are constrained to re-
mind you of the advice of the old lady
who once told her daughter ‘‘hang your
clothes on a hickory limb and don’t go
near the water.”
—Storks are said to have no voice. They
make up for being mute themselves, how-
ever, by bringing us little mites that usu-
ally leave no doubt in the distracted par-
ents’ minds as to their being able to make
all the noise possible.
—Word comes from the forests of Maine
to the effect that the chewing gum crop is
falling off. We would say, Lord be Prais-
ed ! if it were not for our sonsideration for
the girl who finds so much pleasure chew-
ing it when she is at a dance.
—1It the Republicans were ever in the
position of having a one-man party they
are there now. ROOSEVELT dominated
everything so completely at Chicago as to
give the impression that he already feels
several sizes too large for his job.
—The Towa idea and the Wisconsin idea
and the ROOSEVELT idea of the conduct of
Republican politics are very widely diverg-
ing and it is already looking as if the strenu-
osity of reconciling each to the other will
be a job too strenuous even for strenuous
TEDDY.
—Col. JoHN A. DALEY’S advent in
journalism is likely to make the Howard
Hustler a much sought for paper these days
and d en’t you think that two gentlemen
named WOMELSDORF and KNISELY won’t
be among the first to steal a glance at
its editorial page.
—The Hon. J. W. KEPLER should be
returned to the Legislature because next
year we will be in great need of an old,
e xperienced member to look after the
interests of The Pennsylvania State Col-
lege and the Philipsburg and Bellefonte
hospitals. ‘He did excellent work for
these worthy institutions during his first
session, but it stands to reason that he
would be able to accomplish much more
with the experience in legislative practice
he has already secured.
—It is interesting to note che oonsidera-
tion for others that men begin to display
as soon as they become candidates for of-
fice. For more than a year the mining dis-
triots of Colorado have been torn asunder
by conflicts between the union aud non-
union workmen, a state of outlawry ex-
ists and many lives kave been sacrificed in
the bicter struggle. Washington was not
so remote that the President could not
have heard of it months ago. His real
campaign has been opened now and Col-
orado must be fixed up, therefore a govern-
ment commission has been ordered to
investigate the trouble.
tear. like the
rubniog a a little
5
+ 1==They kept very mum ou the fall din+ i
: A Hosdos. Fleket.
vention will b Beg Mises upsosel gon
ronage, and’ ‘Senator FAIRBANKS, of Indi-
ana, will base been chosen for second place
on the ticket. It has heen said of ROOSE-
VELT tbat ‘‘everybody is for him for the
nomivation and nobody wants him elect-
ed.” It may be truthfully said of FAIR-
BANKS that nobody wants him to be either
nominated or elected. It is, therefore, a
hoodoo ticket.
The convention in its preliminary pro-
ceedings was singularly destitute of en-
thusiasm. Even the most earnest support-
ers of the candidates and the party, talked
about that. Colonel JAMES H. LAMBERT,
of the Philadelphia Press, wrote to that
paper that it was the conspicuous feature
of the pre-convention conditions, and add-
ed that everybody was commenting on it.
The reason for that fact is plain. Men do
what is distasteful to them if they are
obliged to, but not cheerfully. That is
precisely what they did in the Republican
national convention and exactly for that
reason. They voted for ROOSEVELT be-
cause they had to and not for the reason
that they believe in him or his policies.
As a matter of fact ninety per cent of the
delegates despise the President and abhor
his methods.
ROOSEVELT was nominated for Vice
President four years ago because Senator
PLATT wanted to bury him politically.
Fate intervened avd PLATT'S plans were
defeated. The vast majority of the dele-
gates in the Chicago convention voted for
his nomination for President, yesterday,
because they want to bury him politically
and fate can’t possibly prevent the fulfill-
ment of their expectations. They will
give him an indifferent support or a secret
opposition and if the Democrats are wise
in theig selection of candidates and decla-
ration of principles at the St. Louis con-
vention which meets a week from next
Tuesday, ROOSEVELT will be
worse than HARRISON was in 1892. This
is not a mate
evitable certainty and facts have been lead-
ing up to it ever since the calamity which
made ROOSEVELT President.
——The Clearfield REPUBLICAN com-
pliments the Democracy of Centre county
on the unsolicited’ honor it paid Mr.
GEORGE M. DIMELING, of that county, by
endorsing him for Cougress. In reading
the acknowledgment of it we were filled
with wonder as to whether our friend JOHN
SHORT, the editor, didn’t feel just a little
twinge of regret at the action of Clearfield
county in refusing to consider Center’s claim
for a representative to the national con-
vention.
Still Cutting the Force.
The Pennsylvania Railroad company has
determined to lay off 5,000 more of its em-
ployes on lines East of Pittsburg and Erie.
This will make a total of 12,000 men taken
out of the ranks of the producers under the
control of one corporation. Of those con-
tinued 1n service all or nearly all will
work on reduced time. In the shops a
holiday a week will be given and on the
line the men will be called less frequently.
Altogether it will work a vast decrease in
the aggregate of the pay rolls. Probably
the difference will amount to over $100,-
000 a month. Bat no diminution in the
expenses of living has been discovered since
the curtailing movement hegan.
The Penusylvania Railroad company is
not cutting down its force and decreasing
its expenses for reasons of parsimony. The
managers of that great corporation are nob
given to the habit of ‘saving at the spigot
and wasting at the bung.”’ If conditions
justified it they would be glad to increase,
rather than diminish industrial fordes.
But as a matter of fact they have heen
forced to the policy which has been in-
augurated. The decrease in the volume of
traffic has compelled the curtailment of the
number of employes and the policy is a
matter of self-preservation. In other words
the expenditures ‘must be shaved down to
balance the slump in receipts.
Secretary SHAW, of the Treasury De-
partment, said in a stump speech delivered
at Wilmington, the other day, that there
is prosperity in high prices and tbat the
growing expenses of living are subjeots for
congratulation rather than regret. The
12,000 idle employes of the Pennsylvania
railroad are not likely to view the condi-
tions through the same lenses. The recent
advance in the price of meats, the result of
a trust agreement; is not likely to be hail-
ed with satisfaetion by them. On the con-
trary it is much more likely to be dep-
recated as a substantial reason for regret.
It may not mean actual suffering, but it
will certainly involve considerable i
vation. :
When this “Inne of the WaTomuax
THEODORE ROOSEVELT who was “‘catipult-
ed”? into the office of Vice President, nach
against his’ ‘indlination | but because Senator
PLATT, wanted to get rid of him, will have
been :iomivated. unanimously for the office
as the result of skillful’ farming of the pat--
defeated |
conjecture: ~ It isan in-
bi ST
2a Seheming ‘for Race ‘Wars. |
, The decision of the Republican national
committee to throw out of the convention
the admittedly “‘regular’’ Lilly White del-
S. egates from Louisiana and admit to seats
the confessedly ‘‘irregular’’ negro delegates
admits of but one interpretation. That is
to say that action on the part of the com-
mittee, ratified subsequently by the con-
vention itself, means, if it means anything,
that the race issue is to he introduced into
the politics of the Sonth in the impending
campaign in the hope that two or three
sonthern States like Louisiana, Mississippi
and Alabama, in which the negroes are in
the majority, may be carried for the Re"
publican ticket. That is the most despicable
and dangerous enterprise ever undertaken
in American politics.
As certain as fate such a determination
means race wars with all the horrors which
attend such monstrous conflicts. After the
first delirium which followed the enfran-
chisement of the negroes in the South white
Republicans and Dem ocrats in that section
joined together to secure white control in
the southern States. It was not the result
of race prejudice or political bigotry. It
was simply a matter of self-preservation,
because during the brief period of negro
domination looting ran riot and involved
the whole section in bankruptcy. One
method after another was tried to rescue
the local governments from the spoliators
and finally constitutional restiictions, sup-
plemented by considerations of personal
interest, achieved the result. That is in-
telligent and industrious negroes were
taught and came to understand that the
interests of honest whites and blacks were
identicai and that white control conserved
them.
The result of those policies was that the
most vicious negroes were excluded from
the franchise by the restrictions and the
better element either refrained from voting
voluntarily or supported the Democratic
candidates, invariably white men. But
ever since the deplorable calamity which
elevated ROOSEVELT into the office of Presi-
dent, he has been endeavoring to upset the
amicable arrangement and provoke con-
tentions at any cost. It was that purpose
which influenced him to repeatedly nomi-
nate a negro for the office of collector: of
the port at Charleston, South Carolina, and
closg a postoffice in Mississippi because the
people protested © against a negro post-
mistress. It was that purpose which has
inflnenced him to all his social recognitions
of the negro and as a resuls of his move-
ments there are likely to be race wars as
the consequence of a race issue in the
southern States elections.
Quay and His Methods. °
Sufficient time has elapsed since the
death of Senator QUAY to form a just esti-
mate of his character, capabilities, methods
and public achievements. Upon his death
the WATCHMAN as well as most of its con-
temporaries charitably drew the veil of
silence over his record in so far as that was
possible. Recognizing the amiable im-
pulse which forbids sharp criticism of the
dead we said as litt’2 in condemnation of
his political operations as was possible. But
there is danger in that course under some
circumstances. It glosses over a career of
evil and encourages others to commit aots
which are abhorrent to every principle of
public morality.
Now that time has tempered the asperities
of memories of some of those acts, it is not
only just but actually obligatory to say
that the career of MATTHEW STANLEY
QUAY from the beginning of his public life
to the end was an uninterrupted series of
official iniquities. But the late Senator
QUAY wasn’t entirely to blame for the
fact. In Col. A. K. McCLURE’S narrative
of the first election of Senator SIMON
CAMERON to the United States Senate, he
shows that bribery and corruption was a
potent influence of the political life of that
day and that Senator CAMERON, his son
and successor in office DoN CAMERON, the
grand-father ol the present Senator PEN-
ROSE, then a State Senator for Franklin
county, and others were involved in as
base a criminal geration as ever was perpe-
trated.
Senator QUAY succeeded Senator Dox
CAMERON as the manager of the Republi-
can politics in Pennsylvania. With the
succession he inherited the methods of the
party and though he may have ‘‘refined”
them somewhat he never changed them a
particle. The methods employed in the
election of CAMERON in 1877 were precisely
the same as those which resulted in the
election of Senator Bors PENROSE in 1897
and again in 1903 and of QUAY in 1901.
Tobey are the methods not of an individual
but of an orgavization and though QUAY
is dead and presumably the candidate for
the succession next year will be the emi-
nent lawyer aud. respectable gentleman
who was illegally appointed the other day,
the same methods will he employed again.
QUAY was just as bad as his party and his
party will continue as bad as long as it
continues in control of the politics of Penn-
sylvania.
ST TATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION.
BELLEFONTE; Ea J UNE 24, 1904.
NO. 25.
‘The Judges’ Salary Law.
W. can see neither reason nor expediency
in the appeal of the judges’ salary decision
to the United States court by Mr. NEWLIN,
of Philadelphia. The decision of both the
lower and higher courts of the State on his
petition was alike just and reasonable. The
question of the constitutionality of the law
wasn’t considered in either tribunal and
under his petition couldn’t be. He asserted
that judges VON MOSCHZISKER, of Phila-
delphia, and BELL, of Blair county,couldn’s
sit 88 the court of Dauphin county. Every
intelligent layman knows that that was
absurd and the lower court simply dis-
missed his petition, the Supreme court af-
firmed the dismissal and added that he
couldn’t, under the law, hecome a party to
such a suit.
The federal court will naturally and
logically take the same view of the Jaw and
that will be the end of the NEWLIN litiga-
tion on the subject. But the constitu-
tionality of the law will be determined by
the Supreme court of Pennsylvania on the
appeal of State Treasurer MATTHUES from
the absurd decision of judges VON MoOSCH-
ZISKER and BELL and we believe that it
will be justly decided. That ia to say the
cours will hold that the constitution which
forbids the increase or deorease of the salary
of any publio official ' is constitutional and
that the Legislature had no right to enact
such a law. That will invalidate the law,
not only with respect to judges in commis-
sion at the time it was enacted but so far
as it relates to the salary of all judges.
There are a few judges in this State, and
every citizen of this county is aware of the
fact,who obey the mandates of the political
machine in preference to those of the con-
stitution or the statutes. The judges, sit-
ting as the Dauphin county court, who de-
clared the constitutionality of the judges’
salary law of 1903 were of this type. The
orders for an affirmation of the constitu-
tionality of that law came from the head of
the machine and were obeyed. But the
Supreme court judges are not of so obliging
a mould. At least the majority of them
are good lawyers and conscentious officials
and will perform their judicial duties
under the guidance of conscience according
to law. If they do that they must of
necessity nullify that law.
.=#The Chester county farmer who sent
‘his son to drive boys away from his cherry
trees on Sunday and carried’ him back
home a corpse because lightning struck the
tree under which he sought shelter from a
storm, will probably never get over the
thought that hie could bave saved the boy
had he let the cherries go.
Hope in Philadelphia,
The energy and intelligence with which
the Democratic organization of Philadel-
phia has grappled with the principal
source of electoral frauds, justifies the
strongest hopes of better political condi-
tions in that city in the future. Some
time ago chairman CHARLES P. DONNEL-
LY inaugurated a searching investigation
of the registration of voters of the oity.
He put the work in the most capable
hands and proceeded in the most pains-
taking and thorough manner to get an hon-
est registration of the voters for the pur-
poss of comparing it with the official reg-
istration made by machine agents and
exposing the result and the difference.
Mr. DoNNELLY'S work has not been
completed as yet but at a meeting of the
city committee, the other evening, a report
of the investigation of the Seventh ward
in whice Senator PENROSE and Insurance
Commissioner DURHAM reside and do
political business was submitted. The
canvass was conducted under the personal
supervision of GEORGE A. GALLANO,
WiLLiAM HicGIiNs and FrANcIS FISHER
KANE whose name s were attached to the
report. It shows a discrepancy of over
1200 names between the honest and the
machine made lists and proves beyond the
shadow of doubt that the purpose of the
machine managers was to poll that many
fraudulent votes at the coming election.
As there are forty-two wards in the city
that average of frand maintained through-
out would make an aggregate fraudulent
vote of 50,400. Of course it would be im-
possible to maintain that average in some
of the outlying wards, but as there are
other wards likely to far exceed that num-
ber it is not improbable that the average
would be maintained.” Take the Tenth
and Fifth wards, for example. In
the Fifth ward a man named MALONEY
who is believed, even by his friends, to
have sworn falsely in the SALTER case, is
in control and in the Tenth contractor
McCNICHOL is the boss. Neither of these
gentlemen wonld allow DURHAM to sur-
pass him in ballot box stuffing, but the
action of chairman DONNELLY is practic-
ally certain to circumvent all of them.
——1It is reported in Philipshurg that
the two rival water companies in = that
place have been consolidated by the taking
over of the property of the Philipsburg
Water Co., by the Citizens Co.
The Powers That Made The Senator,
From the Johnstown Democrat.
The people of Pennsylvania have had
nothing to say or to do in the matter of
Quay. Not
choosing a successor to Mr.
even the political bosses have been permit-
ted to determine the choice. That was
made by President Cassatt of the Pennsyl-
vania, by President George F. Baer of the
Reading and by Mr. Frick of the United
States Steel corporation. The Republicans
of the State were not consulted. Some of
them ventured to aspire; a few of the leaders
assumed to advise; some of the more ambi-
tious undertook to scheme and to effect
combinations; but Elkin, Oliver, Huff,
Robbins, Murphy, Dalzell, Flinn and all
the rest were bowled out sans-ceremony
and with imperial contempt when Presi-
dent Cassatt and his powerful corporation
allies gave the signal. A complaisant Gov-
ernor made haste to ratify the choice of
these self-appointed guardians of the pol-
itical assets of a dead Senator’s estate.
That Mr. Knox will serve the trusts in
the Senate with the same fidelity that he
has served them in private life or ,as the
chief legal adviser of the President goes
without the saying. He is a man of large
ability and with a political conscience
quite adaptable to the needs of his masters.
He may not be able to fill the shoes -of
Senator Quay, but in utter fidelity to the
interests of special privilege and in con-
temptuous disregard of the higher claims
of statesmanship he will undoubtedly
justify the confidence of his sponsors.
Cassatt and Baer and Frick indubitably |
know their man.
Nor will poor old Pennsylvania revolt.
She has got beyond that. At one time in
her history she might have had the moral
stamina to rebuke the insolence of these
bosses of the bosses who have usurped the
functions of the people and for their own
private interests have chosen for Senator
one of their own men. But she cannot he
expected to disclose any such moral stam-
ina now. She has grown accustomed to
such insolence. She has almost forgotten
the better traditions of an earlier day.
She expects her bosses to rule and she
thanks God that she has her Cassatts, her
Baers and her Fricks to manage her aff airs
for their own behoof.
A Rebuke for Roosevelt.
From The Mexican Herald.
There is, by far, oo much arrogance and
impatience among the Jingo statesmen of
the United States when they view condi-
tions in Latin America. Their poliey is
full of mischief; they arouse gstility
where they might’ make friends; they aim
at empire, and, were they to makeita
reality, they would destroy the freedom of |
the American people, for the open annexa-
tion of, or the disguised declaration ofa
hugh ‘protectorate over, Latin “America
means the ‘definite establishment of. mil-
itarism in the United States. The Re-
publican party has gone far dnring recent
years in this direction. The old Ameri-
can idea of a great cluster of ‘friendly Re-
publics in this Hemisphere - are given
way, among the leaders of the dominant
party of the United States, to visions of
dominance and control in New World af-
fairs. Perhaps there may yes be a reaction:
a party may come into power which will
proclaim the doctrine of the Americas for ail
their peoples each free within its own ter-
ritory, each pnrsuing its evolution toward
a more perfect civilization.
How different the doctrines cf a Roose-
velt and a Cleveland! Elected this year
Mr. Roosevelt will consider, and with some
reason, that the American people have
given their endorsement to the significant
and disquieting utterance upon which we
have been commenting.
Pennypacker is a Constitution Unto Him-
self,
From the Wilkesbarre Leader.
The constitution of Pennsylvania is sup-
posed to be the bed rosk of the law of this
Commonwealth, and as such must be obey-
ed. The manner in which it is shifted
around and made to serve private and
political purposes is appalling. The old
expression, that was spoken in joke,
‘‘What’s the constitution between friends?’’
is becoming too true.
The constitution demands a reapportion-
ment of the State every ten years. Do
the lawmakers comply with this? Salaries
must not be raised during a term of office,
yet the judges are more than likely to get
an increase. Now comes the chosing of
Senator Quay’s successor. The constitu-
tion demands that an extra session be call-
ed to fill the vacancy. Many of the press
of the State think it unnecessary. This
is true, but how can the constitution be
ignored? It should be obeyed in its en-
tirety. It wasnot made to dodge. If the
constitution has outlived ‘its usefulness,
something must he done to bring it up to
q45 The habit is growing to think light
of it.
The Gatling Gun to Supercede the Din.
ner Pail.
From the Venango Spectator.
Somehow we don’t hear much lately
about the full dinner pail or two dollarsa
day and roast heef. The gatling gun,
however, is coming into evidence. Pos-
sibly this is to take the place of the roast
beef in the coming campaign. On Friday
last Mr. James M. Sterrett, of the Mer-
chants’ Coal Mine, near Johnstown, said:
‘‘“The strike at the mines of the Merchants’
Coal Co. is at last at an end. This moin-
ing for the first time we tested our gatling
gun and it worked like a charm. We can
get a range in any direction in an instant,
and with our searchlight in operation we
feel that we are abundantly able to protect
our interests.’
Slow.
Houston Chronicle. !
The New York Sun complains that in
the last two years, the United States has
obtained only 24.7 per cent. of the Philip-
pine trade. Trade may follow ‘the flag,
ut it doesn’t seem to be hot foot about it.
Spawls from the Keystone.
—A little Hungarian girl living at one of
the mines near Philipsburg, had her cheek
torn from mouth to ear the other day by the
horn of a vicious young cow the child’s
mother was milking.
—The Summit Tannery, at Curwensville,
the property of the Elk Tanning Co., de-
stroyed some time ago by fire, will be rebuilt,
and it is expected that work on the same
will commence next week.
—In commemoration of the fire that de-
stroyed the greater part of DuBois on Jane
18th, 1888, the Morning Courier of that place
was printed on Saturday on red paper, a cus-
tom it has followed each year since the con-
flagration,
Lightning set fire to the barn of Edward
Datesman, near Allenwood, during Sunday
night, and caused a $2,500 fire, the loss about
half covered by insurance. The barn and
contents, including five head of cattle, were
totally destroyed.
—Peter Harry, of Lock Haven, aged 55
years, was sitting in a rocking chair convers-
ing with members of his family the other
evening when his head suddenly dropped
forward and in a moment he was dead. He
is survived by his wife and eight children.
—Spruce Creek school board is in quite a
tangle over the purchase of some text books
about two years ago. All but two members
of the board have resigned and no organiza-
tion has been effected. The court will soon,
no doubt, be asked to appoint a new board.
The district isin danger of losing its $576
appropriation.
~—Henry Westbrook, of Huntingdon, was
committed to jail Wednesday after having
been arrested for carrying fire arms. He
supposed because the weapon was not con-
cealed as it partly protruded from his pocket
that there was no law to cover his case. The
justice thought otherwise and held him in
custody. He had not only fire arms but fire
water on his person.
The following railroad has just been char-
tered at the state department: Blacklick and
Yellow Creek Railroad Co., to build a ten-
mile line from Rexis, Indiana county, to
Burns Summit; capital $100,000. The officers
are, president, A. W, Lee, Clearfield; direc-
tors, A. W. Lee, H. W. Straw, Geo. H. Gear-
bart, H. J. Thompson, E, E. Lindemuth, P.
T. Davis, Clearfield.
—A sad death Monday evening was that of
Ethel Marguerite, the 5 years’ old daughter
of Clarence and Annie Miller, of Williams-
port. The child evidently took a poisonous
pill in mistake for a tablet that she had been
taking for a cold, and wassoon afterwards
seized with a spasm. While lying on the
bed occupied by her sick mother she died
within a few hours.
—Daniel Knauss, a twelve-year-old son of
Shem Knauss, of Milton, was painfully and
possibly seriously injured by the discharge
of a toy cannon. He, with a number of other
boys was playing with the toy. The weapon
was loaded with powder and shot. It was
touched off by one of the boys who gave no
warning." Young Knauss’ face and neck
were badly burned by the powder, and it is
feared his eyesight will be injured. '
—It' will ‘interest all the Smiths to know
that Cabel Smith, a wealthy Kentuckian, of
Louisville, has issued a general invitation
throughout the press to the Smiths of the
country to assemble at Louisville for three
days’ reunion next fall, and he will defray
all the expenses of entertainment. He says
he is willing to spend $25,000 on his project,
but will drop it unless he receives assurance
that the Smith family of the United States
will be represented by a fair proportion of
those bearing that name.
—Officials of the pension office have been
considering the case of an applicant for gov-
ernment aid who has the most extraordinary
matrimonial career, according to his own ac-
count, of any man who ever applied for a
pension. The man is Peter West, a veteran
of the Seventh Iowa cavalry. He has been
married ten times, and to do so has been
compelled to divorce himself eight times.
Commissioner Ware recognized in the much
married West, a comrade of the Civil war.
West was born in Prussia, and is sixty-three
years of age. In his application for a pen-
sion he gives a list of his wives, the last one
of whom is still living, and happy, let us all
hope.
—Four boys standing under a cherry tree
on a farm near Felton,Chester county, three
miles from Chester, were killed by a
stroke of lightning. The dead are Ross
Smith, aged 13 years, of Felton, son of the
owner of the farm; Alexander Fullerton, 13
years, Felton; William Davis, 14 years; Up-
land; Samuel Clark, 15 years, colored, Ches-
ter. About a dozen boys went from Felton
to pick cherries on the Smith farm. Farmer
Smith told his son, Ross, who was about to
go to Sunday school to order away any.hoys
he might see at the cherry trees. On the
way young Smith met Fullerton, Davis and
Clark. As they approached the cherry trees
a dozen boys from Felton ran away. A
storm was coming up and the four other
boys went under one of the trees. They had
been there only a few minutes when light-
ning struck the tree. Smith, Fullerton and
Davis were instantly killed. The colored
boy was so badly injured that he died on the
way to the hospital.
—In court at Hollidaysburg Monday Levi
Dyer, the man who shot Goldie Beck in the
back in her house of ill repute at Altoona,
some weeks ago, and was arrested on a “trol-
ley car from that city as it landed in Tyrone
the same evening, plead guilty to the charge
of shooting with intent to kill. In response
to the inquiry of the court as to what the de-
fendant had to say as to the charge, Dyer
said : “I guess I done the shooting. The
girl had made an insulting remark about my
sister—a hard working girl: I am addicted
to the use of morphine, was under the influ-
ence of the drug and liquor when I done the
deed. Iam now being treated for the mor-
phine habit, and ask the court to be merci-
ful.” His honor said: ‘You are fortunate
that the girl did not die. I will consider
your case before imposing sentence.” The
woman it will be remembered was taken to
the hospital, where it was discovered that the
ball had lodged in one of her lungs, but for
all that she rapidly recovered and is now:
about well.