A:
BY P. GRAY MEEK.
ink Slings.
—The new postmaster of Bellefonte took
formal chaige of the office on Wednesday
and it was the 13th,
—Taxes are said to be lowest in China
and highest in France, but the statisticians
haven’s heard from Bellefonte, Pennsylva-
nia, U. 8. A.
—Delaware kas had a sensational kid-
napping case, whieh promises to rival that
of the memorable CHARLEY Ross and
Cupany boy disappearance.
—From the action of the stock market
right after Mr. MORGAN'S visit to the Pres-
ident it must have been a lemon and not a
melon thas TEDDY banded to the king of
the world's financiers,
~1t all accounts are true the erookedness
in the capitol construction is so glaring
that the blantest kind of a probe fetches
up enough at each insertion to necessitate
countless prosecutions.
—1f the size of modern battleships is wo
be continually increased some one will
have to investigate the matter of the
amount of shore lines that will be effaced
by such ponderoas displacements,
—From the amount of water the bears
managed to squeeze out of the various
stocks listed in Wall street Wednesday and
yesterday it is not at all remarkable that
the rivers and streams rose as high as they
did.
«~The names of Senators PENROSE and
KNoX were roundly hissed when mention-
ed at a public meeting in Wilkinsburg
Tuesday night. No one dares even to men-
tion PENROSE'S name in Bellefonte these
days.
—The ‘war path’ is to be the place of
amusement at the Jamestown exposition.
It is only natural to soppose that the big
breweries of the country are already bid-
ding for the privileges of furnishing the
WAr paint.
— We have a great deal to be thauklal
for. A flood that ran level with our press
room floors began to recede at that poiut
yesterday and we bave thus far escapedjthe
uupleasant washouts we have zo frequently
been subjected to.
—The commercial clubs of Boston, Chi-
cago and other cities whose committees
have visited the working think that the
Favama caval can be completed in] eight
years. Bat there are lots of things com-
mercial men don’t know.
—The disposition of the House appropri-
ation committee appears to be very fair to
hospitals asking state aid. Let us hope
that the committee will be in the same
amiable mood when the Bellefonte hospit-
al’s application is considered.
—JonN D. ROCKERFELLER'S brother has
juss squealed because some one sold him a
“salted mine.” How different from Joux
D., himself. That pious looking oldman
wonld have said nothing more than to di-
rect an advance of half-a 2ent per gallon on
oil.
—In a survey of the distance hetween
Chicago and St. Louis an error of only one-
half inoh was made. This is getting it
down pretty close but close don’t count, as
post-master HARTER found out when he
tried to remove Mr. CHAMBERS from the
post-office.
—Since the passes have been cat ont the
State Legislators naturally are thinking
more of the condition of the public] roads
and that 1s probably one of the reasons that
they are now cousidering the appropriation
of the enormous sum of sixty-seven million
dollars for their improvement.
— Mr. JEROME has been having an in-
ning in the THAW trial during the past
few days. The case is not looking as rosy
for the defense as it had been prior to the
time when the district attorney began to
spring surprises that must vaturally have
considerable weight with the jury.
—The Baltimore physician who has sue-
ceeded Dr. OSLER says each raw oyster yon
eat should be chewed thirty times. Seems
to us that a raw oyster that requires thirty
chaws to work up intoa condition to be
swallowed ought to be OsLERized before it
has a chance to subject humanity to such a
trying ordeal.
—The trout at the Bellefonte hatchery
are suffering with sore throat. A great
many of those in the public streams will
be suffering from the same malady in just
one month from today, but it will be
caused by a fish-hook and not, as in [the
first case, by the presence of too much
snow water in the streams.
—The movement to legislate against fast
scheduled trains is about as ridiculous as
anything can be. If there were no slow
traios for the traveling public to use it
would be differens, but when people elect
to pay extra fares in order to ride on faster
trains the matter is up to the individual
and not the law making bodies.
—The first saving of the capitol investi-
gating committee can be marked down as
twenty-seven thousand dollars. The Har-
risburg Trust Co. bas just offered to give
up that amount for interest on the
$400,000 of State funds that were ly-
ing in that institution for several years. At
this rate of going the cost of tke capitol
could soon be brought down to a reasona-
ble figure.
i
¥
J
a
STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION.
VOL.52
Looting on a Small Scale,
The little pinuge into the State Treasur-
ry by the postmaster of Harrisburg, in bis
capacity as publisher of the Legislative
Record, is one of the surprises of this re-
form session. Two years ago the cost of
The Record to thé State was $2 68 a page
while this year It Is $12.00 a page. The dif-
ference Is the result of experience and the
absence of consgience. The postmaster of
Harrisburg was the only bidder and the
contract was awarded by President pio
tem. Woobs, of the Senate, Speaker WAL-
TON, of the House, and former Gevernor
PESNYPACKER. They were easy for the
postmaster of Harrisburg.
The postmaster of Harrisburg who is
also publisher of the Legislative Record ix
state printer too. He got the contract for
that job in a pecular way, likewise. For
example, the lowest bidder for the work
was CLARENCE M. Busch, of Philadelphia.
After the contract had heen awarded to
him, he declined to accept it, notwithstand-
ing the conditions required the forfeit of a
bond in the eventol failure to ‘‘make
good.” Without charging Busch a cent |
for bis default, the contract was offered to
Wn. STANLEY RAY, the vext lowest bid- |
der, who strangely enough bad changed
his mind also and declined the favor. T.
LARRY EYRE, of West Chester, was next in
the order of bidders and he side-stepped,
leaving the Harrisburg Pablishing Comp-
any, the highest bidder, the only compet.
itor, and the coutract was awarded to that
enterprising concern. But it is alleged
that each of the obliging bidders gels a
rake-off from the profits.
This is the way that the business of the
State has been conducted in the past but
we hoped that under the promisesofl re-
form made during the last campaign, they
would be cbaoged and a better system in-
trodared. The postmaster of Harrisharg is
a very reputable gentleman and bis charac-
ter as an exemplary citizen covers a multi-
tude of tricks. But we submit that this
last trick for looting the treasury is a tri-
fle too much. It is not probable that there
would be no competition for the work of
publishing the Legislative Record if the
lettering ‘had been free and open con-
racts hut otherwise are not valid.
—
The Capitol Park {uestion.
There is a auspicious unanimity of senti-
ment in favor of enlarging the capitol park
at Harrisburg, among our metropolitan
contemporaries. Every one of the Phila-
delphia papers has spoken freely and en-
thusiastically in favor of the enterprise and
as usual they have supported their opinions
with strong arguments. But they have ap-
parently overlooked one salient point. In
other words, they either forget or disregard
the faot that the Republican machine which
looted the treasury in the construction of
the capitol is still in control and unregen-
erate. The proposition to enlarge the cap-
itol park, is, therefore, a movement to give
the bandits another chance.
The pending bill appropriates something
like a million and a balf dollars for the
purchase of the land necessary to the ex-
pansion of the park boundaries. We have
no doubt the property which it is proposed
to acquire is worth that much and it is cer-
tain to increase in value very rapidly. For
that reason there ie no bazard in the pur-
chase. But suppose the contractor’s com-
bine, of Philadelphia, or some equally ra-
pacions group somewhere elee were to get
the contract for preparing the ground for
park purposes. It might cost a dozen mil.
lions and become as great a source of graft
as the farnishing of the capitol was. The
danger of that sort of thing is ever present
and must be considered.
Of course with PANNYPACKER out of it
the danger of such a prostitution of power
is less than when he was at the head of the
Board of Pablic Grounds and Buildings.
There is probably not another man in the
State whose notions of right and wrong are
so cloudy. But even with PENNYPACKER
out of it there ie great davger so long as
the machine remains in control. The hun-
gry horde is still waiting its chance. The
Representative in the Legislature from
Harrisburg, Mr. BEIDLEMAN, is still its
mouthpiece on the floor of the House and
for those reasons if the park enlargement
bill goes through the interests of the people
should be safe-guarded by rigid restric-
tions,
———AnD item bas been going the rounds
of the papers in effect that borough and city
authorities have decided to have hotel
keepers close their bars on St. Patrick’s
day. In Bellefonte the hotel men are
going to close without any intervention on
the part of the authorities, and the reason
is that St. Patrick’s day falls on Sunday,
day alter tomorrow, in fact.
~——The farmers of College township,
and all Centre county for that matter, are
urged not to forget the special meeting of
Washington Grange tomorrow for the pur-
pose of discussing seed corn. Remember
to take an ear of corn with you as the
‘‘pass word’ at the door.
The Investigation In Progress.
The investigation of the capitol grals is
now actually in progress, the sessions for
the examination of witnesses and the sub-
mission of other evidence having began on
Moaday. What the resalt of the inquiry
will be remains, of course, a subject of con-
jeotare, and will depend largely upon those
in charge of the prooeedings, It will be
possible to smother a good deal of the in-
culpating evidence and there is a chance of
making the inquiry both searching and
sufficient. But it is absolutely certain that
80 far a* the commission is concerned, the
purpose is to conceal rather than expose the
facts. The Democratic members of the
body are willing to probe,all right, but the
majority has other ideas in mind.
There are two or three self-evident prop-
ositions in conuection with this (matter.
One is that the Board of Public Grounds
and Buildings sinned in the light of knowl-
edge and that Governor PENNYPACKER was
the chief offender. He knew as well as he
knows his a. b. ¢.’s that there was no war-
rant of law to make the payments which
were made or authorize the work which
was authorized. Bat he felt that be was
under obligations to the machine for past
favors and knew that he had to look to the
machine for future honors and he wanted
to make his own ambition secure. It wasn'é
the weakness of au innocent, It was the
deliberate purpose of a schemer to promote
his own interests at the expense of the
public. PENNYPACKER 1s not a fool even
if the antithesis is a knave,
We believe that Governor STUART is
sincere and we know that the lawyers whom
he baschosen to conduct the inquiry are
able and honest. We are almost persuaded
that a majority of the commission has}in
mind the falfillment of its obligations to
conscience and duty. Bat there are so
many reasons why the machine should in-
terpose to prevent an exposure. The inter-
ests of that atrocious conspiracy and the
late Governor are so identical, that we [eel
that coersive influences will be invoked to
save the machine managers and the de-
lingnent Governor from the jus: conse-
quences of their crimes, that we can’t bring | fed
ourself to the hope that the investigation
will be thorough and the report bounest,
though that is what ought to happen.
The February Elections,
It begins to look as if the proposition to
abolish the February elections will bave to
be taken seriously. It was probably in-
tended as a joke in the beginning and it has
the appearance of a joke yet. But recent
events at Harrisburg indicate that it may
assume a different aspect at any moment
and actually become a menace to our pres-
ent excellent system of separating local or
municipal elections from the more counspic-
nous but really less important November
elections. That is to say, the friends of
the measure have begun to think it may
pass,
We can imagine nothing more undesira-
ble than the abolishment of the February
elections and putting the choice of local of-
ficials into the intense partisan heat of a
State election. Possibly we do have more
elections than are good for us and maybe
money might be saved if there were only
one instead of two political campaigus a
year. But we don’t think that much barm
is done by good tempered political dispu-
tation or that either the time or money
spent in political campaiguing is wasted.
If citizens should grow careless of their po-
litical obligations it would be a much great-
er evil and that is likely to be one of the
consequences of fewer elections.
The obvious purpose of the author of the
bill in question was to get local elections
more directly under the control of the po-
litical machine. The campaign fond is
larger in the fall than in midwinter aod it
is easier to get partisan prejudices aroused
when the more important officers are to be
chosen. Therefore, it was probably rea-
soned, if the local officers were to be chosen
in the fall there would be less inclination
to independent voting which is the princi-
pal cause of political revointions such as
that which gave Pittsburg a Democratic
Mayor a year ago, and bas worked similar
results on other cities occasionally.
———Ascording to a report sént out by
W. E. Meehan, the state fish commis-
sioner, the trout at the Bellefonte hatchery
are dying in big numbers from some strange
disease that always begins with a sore
throat. The malady 1s not confined to the
Bellefonte hatchery but is depleting the
trout in the other state hatcheries in such
numbers as to cause consternation to the
officials and those in charge. Mr. Meehan
believes the disease is caused by too much
snow water getting into the clear spring
water of the hatcheries.
~The much-talked-of hotel Dimeling,
in Clearfield, is now in the hands of the
sheriff, although it is stated that the reason
is that there is a fight among the stook-
holders, who have resorted to the law to
force a satisfactory settlement. The Beezer
brothers, of Pittsburg, are the largest ehare-
holders.
BELLEFONTE, PA., MARCH 15, 1907.
Frand Clearly Revealed.
That there was collusion as well as frand
in the grafting operations in connection
with the construction of the new capitol no
longer admits of doubt. The testimony of
consulting engineer GREEN though not
plainly asserting the fact inferentially de-
clared is. ‘‘They appear to be on good
terms with each other,” he wrote to the
Capital Bailding Commission in reference
to the contractor aud the architect as early
as August, 1903, “and to keep everything
relating to the construction aud actual con-
dition of the capito!, not visible at the
building, entirely to themselves. It is ap-
parent,’”’ he continues in the same letter,
“that they have some mutual understand-
ing ad do not intend that either the Com-
mission or myself shall have any informa:
tion that they are able to withhold.”
Mr. GREEN whose reputation as an engi-
neer is world wide was manifestly inclined
to be as lenient to architect HUSTON as it
was possible to be nnder the circumstances
in his oral testimony. He wouldn't say
that there was collusion though he was
compelled to admit that ‘ander all the
circamstances I am unable to regard the
situation and relations between these two
parties as above suspicion.” The inerimi-
nating evidence was contained in his cor-
respondence with the Bgilding Commis.
sion which ¢ingularly enough, was omitted
from the pablic statement of the Commis -
sion. He was aware of the violation of the
law by the architect and remonstrated
against it to the Commission, not once,
but frequently. He did his best to keep
the matter within the lines of the law but
his energies were wasted.
In view of this fact it is up to the mem-
bers of the Capito! Building Commission to
show why they permitted the frauds in the
light of knowledge. That they knew must
be admitted unless it can be shown that
the letters written by Mr. GREEN [failed to
reach their destination. When they dis-
covered the suspicious conditions it was
their daty to institute an investigation and
stop the frauds. Having failed to do that
they were accessories to the crimes commit.
and ought to be held responsible in all
that word implies. Former Governor
STONE owes the public an explanation. He
gave the force of his name and official posi-
tion to the statement that the building was
completed within the appropriation. How
can ke reconcile that statement to facts as
revealed by Eagineer GREEN?
The Depavtment of Charities.
There was nothing suprising in the state-
ment which appeared in several Pbiladel-
phia contemporaries, the other morning, to
the effect that former Speaker of the House
of Representatives, Harry F. WALTON, of
Philadelphia, is to become head of the pro-
posed new department of charities. I¢ is
an invariable rule of the machine to take
care of those who served it as WALTON is a
past master in that line. There was never
anything too raw for him. He understood
the constitution and was aware of the sanc-
tity of an oath. But in the light of knowl.
edge he violated the fundamental law
which he was sworn to ‘support, obey and
defend,’ whenever the exigencies of the
machine required euch a sacrifice at his
hands.
Bat the appointment of former Speaker
WALTON to such an office would be a
shameivss prostitution of authority. If such
a department shonld be created, and we
are not convinced as yet of the desirability
of such an action, it would represent the
benevolence of the people of Pennsylvania.
Mr. WALTON is the exemplar of graft and
vice. As speaker of the House he was
literally the head of a banditti in the Leg-
islature which perverted every public benef-
cience into a source of graft and his seleo-
tion as head of the department of charities
would be equivalent to a public proclama-
tion that the bounty of the State was to be
made a source of corruption.
As a matter of fact there is no reason an-
der the sun for creating the department of
charities or appointing any man to the of-
fice of commissioner of charities. Charity
isn’s a thing to be dispensed with calcula.
ting nicety. Since the Republican ma-
chine bas come under the control of the
MaoNi1cHOLS the charity of the State bas be-
come a party asset. But it can be used in
that way sufficiently without changing it
in order to make a lucrative place for a
broken down politician. That is the real
purpose of the scheme to make a depart-
ment of charities and fix at the head of it
a political mercenary like former speaker
of the House WALTON.
— Judge Allison O. Smith held license
court in Clearfield last week and of the one
hundred applications presented he granted
seventy-one hotel licenses, refused four and
held seven under consideration. Oae restan-
rans license was granted and one refused.
Five wholesale liquor licenses were granted
and one wholesale beer license, while five
wholesale beer were beld over. Three
tiller’s license, one distillery being held
over.
IN
brewery licenses were granted and one dis- |
NO. 11._
i State Capliol Investigation.
i
From the Pennsylvania Farmer.
The latest reports from the state capitol
investigating committee's proceedings seem
to indicate that there will soon be music in
the air in aud around the grand palace of
Ee et appolle)
e a pg committee y
Governor Stoart to audit He aos of the
capitol building and farnishing committees
bas discovered about $200,000 of duplicate
bills that bad been paid by the state treas-
urer before Treasurer William H. Berry
assumed his official duties. 3
Thus far the charges that were made by
Mr. Berry against the building and grounds
commission and placed in the bands of At-
torney General Carson before the late elec-
tion bave been more that verified as cor-
rect by the auditing committee.
The members of she javestigating com-
mittee are assured shat the work to be per-
| formed by them is no trifling affair that
may be passed over lightly and a white-
washing report rendered to the le of
the State. Any attempt of that kind will
neither satisfy the people nor relieve the
parties accused or the investigation com-
mittee from severe public censare. It has
already been discovered that the State bas
not only ed several large bills twice,
bust it will also be discovered in the evi-
dence that parties who did work for a cer-
tain price received the money, but were
compelled to sign receipts for several times
the amount received. It will be shown
also that men who threatened to expose
ibs system of graft were paid for keeping
silent.
The committee will be obliged to bave
such testimony as will justily all suspicion
that the capitol scandal bas thus far been
without a parallel! for corruption and ex-
travagance in the history of the State.
Every charge that has been made by
State Treasurer Berry has been thus far
justified by subsequent discoveries and un-
disputed evidence.
The election of Mr. Berry cansed conster-
nation among the leaders of the political
machine when they realized that the state
treasury had passed from their hands. Bat
it was a most fortunate occarence for the
people of the State. Otherwise the robbery
would have continued.
A Good Movement.
From the Pittsburg Post,
A movement has been inaugurated to di-
vert the tide of Italian immigration from a
few large cities to the farms of the West,
Northwest and South. The matter is being
engineered by some Italian government of-
ficials in this country, as well as by leading
Italians now residents of the United States.
Is is claimed that the condition of the im-
migrants will be greatly improved if their
congestion in a few large cities can be pre-
vented aud they cao be put to woik on
their own land. Many of them bave been
tillers of the soil in their native country
and could put their knowledge of agrical-
ture to good use here. It is proposed to
have many of them engage in raising
grapes and other fruit.
ere can be no doubt that excellent re-
sults would foliow from carrying a plan of
this kiod into effect, not only for Italian
immigrants, but for those from all other
European countries. The large cities of
the country are suffering in many ways
from the fact that many more foreigners
are settling in them than can find employ-
ment at remunerative wages or proper hab:
itations. As a conseguence crime and pov-
erty prevail to an undue extent. There is
plenty of land in this country awaiting til-
age by the new immigrants. Many such
would be happier and more prosperous as
farmers than in trying to eke out a living
in our large cities. The governments of
the Nation and of the various States might
well assist in the movement to place the
immigrants on farms, and a system to that
end could doubtless be devised which in
the end would repay any monetary expen-
diture that might be required to carry 16
into effect.
Dowie a Collossal Fallure.
From the Pittsburg Sun.
The death of Jobn Alexander Dowie puts
aun end to one of the most remarkable ca-
reers this country has ever witnessed. The
strength and devotion of the cult he found-
ed shows how utterly the so-called ortho-
dox churches fail to fill the religions field
or to eatisfy human aspirations. Dowie’s
converts were largely among the lowly and
uncultured. It wae such as these that the
Savinor came to seek and to save. And Dow-
ie was tremendously succeseful until he be-
came drunk with power and sought to
coin the faith of his converts into personal
advantage in material things and ootil he
arrogated to himself powers and privileges
that every humble spiritual man knows
spell destruction to his better sell. Dowie
was a colossal self-imposed failure, but
those whe wag their heads over the rain
will do well if they see their own responsi-
bility for the conditions contributing to his
wonderful rise. Sheep do not stray away
from good feeding grounds.
Viclous Legislation.
From the Bloomsburg Democratic Sentinel.
Of the seventy-five Represenatives in the
Legislature who voted against the resolu.
tion to pat Mr. Garner's bill to abolish the
State constabulary on the calender, twenty-
three are from Philadelphia. It was shown
in the debate preceding the vote that the
force was nos only illegally but criminally
created. Governor Pennypacker, according
to the statement of Mr. Garner, threatened
to veto appropriation billsin whioh Repre-
sentatives were concerned, unless they vot-
1 for the bill. No mote isiinous crime
ever been perpetrated by any abandon-
ed wretch. It marks Pennypacker as a
perjurer and usurper,
~——It was quite an appropriate greeting
that Mre. Mary McKee, of North Braddock doo
sent the WATCHMAN. " Atter saying that
Spawils from the Keysione. 4
~The Supreme court has rendered a deci-
sian in favor of a Greater Pittsburg. The
lower court’s derision was aflirmed.
—B. TF. Demaree will erect a locust pia
works in Milford township, Perry county,
which will have a dajly capaéity of 10,000
pins. ;
—Mrs. Elizabeth Lavelle, of Shenandoah,
died on Saturday at the age of 104 years.
She is survived by four generations of de-
scendants. ’
~The last of a dozen of drinking clubs in
Altoona was put out of business a few days
ago. The charter of each club has been
revoked by Judge Bell.
—There is tribulation in Latrobe ove:
some of the assessments of property. In one
case a property was assessed at $28,000 which
the county commissioners raised to $70,000.
~The commissioners of Clearfield county
are offering a reward of $200 for the arrgst
of Samuel Lascolla, the Italian who fatally
assaulted Wesley Straw, and who made Bis
escape.
—J.M. Audit, an employes of a saw mill
company near Williamsport, had his left
arm cut off four inches below the elbow on
Thursday afternoon last by having it caught
in the big saw.
~The Lebigh Valley Railroad company
has given the contract to G. W. Beard & Co.,
of Reading, for the erection of a new depot
at Hazleton, to cost $50,000. It will be the
finest in the anthractic coal regions.
~—Johe Sullivan, an employe in the black-
smith shop at Renovo, was struck in the face
Jast Saturday by a bolt hurled from a ma-
chine near which he was standing. The force
of the blow was so great that a part of his
nose was torn off, his jaw broken and face
mangled.
~The large flour mill of A. A. Wilt, near
Cetronia, Lehigh county, which has been
driven by a gasoline engine since Allentown
diverted the water, was destroyed by fire on
Thursday, through an explosion of gasoline.
The mill was one of the oldest in the county.
Loss, $10,000; insurance, $6,000.
—An 8 year-old son of M. A. Wangle, of
Zenith, Columbia county, is suffering from
an unusual malady, brought on by general
weaknesses. Hundreds of capillar blood ves-
sels throughout his body have burst and al-
lowed the blood to flow out. Five hundred
or more of these tiny vessels are ruptured.
—A hosiery mill at Spring City, Chester
county, employing over 300 persons, one in
Philadelphia employing over 200 and one
near Boyertown, Berks county, employing
sixty, all conducted hy W.C. Urner & Co.,
have shut down on account of the firm mak.
ing an assignment for the benefit of credi-
tors.
—John W. Booking and his wife, of
Bloomsburg, got into a dispute over the sale
of a bantam rooster, and this, with other dif-
ferences that followed, led to a separation.
After his wife left him he brooded over the
matter and several fellow workmen teased
him about it. He is now insane and bis con-
dition is serious.
~—There have been no religious services in
the county infirmary in Butler, Butler coun
ty, since December, because the ministers of
the town have declined to serve any longer
without some compensation, and on Saturday
the grand jury severely censured the county
commissioners for failing to provide for con-
tinuing the services.
—Judge Marshall Brown, of Pittsburg, has
discharged from custody Dandea Ruggon,
charged with murder. Ruggon has been
ready for trial at every term of court since
the time of the alleged murder, August 24,
1906, but the prosecution was never ready
and the court ruled he could not be held for
an unlimited period.
—A historic tract of four acres of ground
in Beaver, on which the late M. 8. Quay had
planned to erect a fine residence, was sold
on Wednesday to Miss Martha V. Ritchie,
of Beaver, for $7,200. On the tract is located
the famous “Devil's Rock” mentioned in
General Washington's reports of his explora-
tions in that part of the State.
—Wililiam Springer, of Hughesville,is now
a stronger believer than ever in larger fami-
lies. He is the father of eighteen children,
and this fact alone kept him from going to
jail or paying a fine. William pleaded
guilty in criminal court to the larceny of
eight skunk skins. The citizens of Hughes:
ville petitioned the court for leniency be-
cause Springer was the only means of sup-
port for the family. The court suspended
sentence.
—Harry Bowers, of Woolrich,Clinton coun-
ty, and a lady friend had an experience last
Tuesday night which they will not soon for
get. The couple left Woolrich in the early
evening to drive to a neighboring town and
were crosssing a mountain when the horse
guddenly stopped. It was seen that a wild
cat was directly in (ront of the animal.
Bowers had no firearms but kept up a con:
tinual yelling which seemed to frighten the
cat and it made no attempt at attacking the
couple. A man with a lantern came along
and the wild beast made a dash for the woods
and disappeared.
—Aber McGary, a merchant and retiring
president of the Vandergrift council, was
perhaps fatally injured at the new Appolo
skating rink at that place,Saturday evening.
Mr. McGary, while skating about the floor,
tripped and fell. Immediately behind him
was a woman weighing more than 200
pounds. She fell on top of the prostrate
man, who an instant later was under a crush
of struggling skaters. A physician who was
called to attend McGary found his pelvic
bone was crushed. The injured man was re-
moved to his home and little hopes are en-
tertained for his recovery.
—Elizabeth Freeman celebrated her 113th
birthday anniversary at her home in Clarion
county, Friday, having lived during the
administration of every one of the presidents
of the United States. ‘‘Aunt Betty,” as she
is called by her seven children, 55 grand.
children, 20 great grandchildren, and three
great great grandchildren, has been a de-
votee of the tobacco habit for the last ninety
years. On the anniversary of her birth she
called attention to ber habit of smoking the
pipe, saying that it was partly responsible
for ber Jong life. Mrs, Freeman was born
. Shes ‘a member of the :
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