Demorraic alco
BY P. GRAY MEEK.
C—O ———
Ink Slings.
—Poor San Francisco! Has she not had
enough misfortune without having to run
the gamut of riots and socialistic upbeav-
als.
—JoHN L. SULLIVAN and Secretary
TAFT met in Washington on Wednesday
and, as a consequence, the TAFT press
agents jumped at the chaoce to get a little
free advertising.
—That Wilkesbarre jury knew what to
do with the black band artists. Like the
old theory, of the only good indian being
the dead indian the biack-hand fiend who
is behind the prison bars will require no
more watching.
—The way the Du Bois Express has im-
proved in appearance and contents daring
the past few years is the most convincing
proof of its success as a daily paper. Itis
one of the best looking of the many dai-
lies that reach our desk.
—A bill for the taxation of whiskers has
been introduced in the New Jersey Legis-
lature aod in dread thas Pennsylvania's
law makers might get equally foolish the
Hon. CLEMENT DALE has had those famous
appendages of his trimmed.
—Halfa loaf would be better than no
bread at all if there were half home rule in
the new Irish government bill introduced
in Parliament. Bat since no one has been
able to discover any heme rule in it the
Irish must continue to be oppressed.
—*Lyndharst,’” the magnificent THAW
home in the suburbs of Pittsburg, has been
mortgaged for one hundred] thousand dol-
lars in order to pay part of the expenses of
HARRY'’S trial. Thus another chapter has
been added to the tragedy of the roof gar-
den.
—Report has it that Mme PATTI prefers
to sing to a small circle of friends at her
own home rather than to a large public
audience. The preference was probably
conceived upon the experience she had dar-
ing her last ‘farewell’ tour of this coun-
try.
—The Pittsburg Dispatch is piqued be-
cause the Washington Post intimates that
the people of Pittsburg ought to read a
great sermon from that much discussed
picture ‘The Bith.” We grant that the
intimation is a trifle personal, but it must
be admitted that of all places where the
bath is most needed Pittsburg has the first
claim.
—The fight for an increase of the appro-
priation to The Pennsylvania State College
was carried onto the floor of the House,
Monday night, when a fnotion to add
$100,000 to the $205,000 recommended by
the committee was lost by a vote of over
two to one. This looks as if the country
Members are not as well organized as they
were supposed to be.
—The MESTA anti-bucket shop bill pass-
ed the House on Wednesday with only two
dissenting votes and yesterday morning bro-
kers in various cities throughout the State
sent out secret tips to their representatives
not to worry as the bill would surely be
killed in the Senate. Bat if the tips are
the same kind given to prospective specu-
lators either to buy or sell the market it is
a sure thing that the bill will pass.
—The youngsters of the land will all be
for Dr. Joux LowMAaN, of Cleveland. In
an address before the national society for
the study and prevention of tuberculosis,
at Washington, on Tuesday, he declared
that if tuberculosis is to be stamped out
children must not be kept in school rooms
after hours. Should his advice be followed
the days of the boy who is kept in after
school to learn lines, ete., are numbered.
—The last days of the Legislature look
very much as if the boss still bosses. With
only one more day for work most of the
promised reforms have been left to sleep
the sleep of all things undesired by the
machine. They will be trotted out prompt-
ly on the eve of the next legislative con-
test, however, and held up as the bait to
catch the votes of the farmers and labor or-
ganizations whose long suit is ever confi-
dence and hope.
—Auditor General YOUNG might have
commenced his weeding out of old officials
somewhere else than with Col. CEAMBERS. |
While the traveling auditor from this place
carried personal matters into his work toa
certain extent he was, * withal, a very com-
petent, careful and diligent worker. In
justice to him we frankly admit that dar.
ing the inaugural ceremonies at Harris.
burg in January we heard frequent and
warm praise of Col. CRAMBERS' adaptabil-
ity to his work from men who were ina
position to know and bad no personal pur-
poses to serve by their declarations. The
job just suited him and we are honestly
sorry be has lost it.
~The city attorney of St. Louis has giv-
en up his fight to put pants on APOLLO
and petticoats on PSYCHE. AroLLo and
PsYCHE are two of the latest acquisitions
to the museum of fine arts in that city and
the attorney got busy to know why clothes
had not been provided to hide their naked.
ness from the gaze of visitors. Quite a
commotion was stirred up and, we pre.
same, APOLLO and PSYCHE both did some
marble blushing behind their fig leaves, but
we can’t understand why this particular
attorney was content with only petticoats
for PSYCHE. Suppose she bad been draped
according to his desires then fallen off her
pedestal some day in the presence of a
crowd of visitors wouldn’s it bave been
most shooking.
OL. 52
A
An Obviously Wrong Notion.
We ate in fall accord with the esteemed
Philadelphia Record in its reprobation of the
“impression that is gaining currency that
the executive ought to dominate the legis-
lative branch of the government. It is
subversive of our American institutions,”
ccutinnes our Philadelphia contemporary,
“‘for the Presiden to dominate Congress or
for a Governor to dominate a Legislature.”
That wholesome truth ought to be kept be-
fore the public mind constantly. That
misconception is the greatest danger at
present menacing the Republic. As a mat.
ter of fact it isa form of treason and the
courageous but misguided men of the
South who in 1861 organized the secession
movement were no more obnoxious to the
fundamental principles of the government
than a President who usurps authority to
coerce Congress or the Bench.
That President ROOSEVELT does this
continually is manifest. He bas not, as
yet, ent a squadron of troops to enforce
his pleasure on Congress or the courts at
the point of the bayonet, but he has open-
ly threatened Senators and Representatives
in Congress and Judges on the bench with
his personal enmity in the event that they
fail or refuse to obey his ‘‘suggestions’
with respect to Legislation or judicial ac-
tion. Scarcely less reprehensible is the
corrupt use of the civil and military serv-
ice of the country to bribe legislators into
the support of his measures and he has done
this almost from the beginning of his pres-
idential authority. Taken together these
evils are of the greatest consequence and
should reswit in his impeachment rather
than a renewal of power and increase of op-
portunities to do harm.
But ROOSEVELT is not entirely to blame
for his encroachments on the authority of
the co-ordinate branches of the govern.
ment. He has been encouraged to it by
such incidents as brought the subject un-
der the consideration of onr esteemed con-
temporary. Pablic men and newspapers
are constantly holding vp before bim a
mirror of his importance. A Governor of
one State visits him and over the luncheon
table assures him that hia State is for “‘any-
thing the President wants.” Senators and
Representatives in Congress fawn upon him
like slaves. Bavokers guarantee him any
support he needs in any enterprise in the
domain of politics and he fondles the idea
that he is essential, not only to the pros-
perity but to the safety of the country. It
is a mischievous absurdity but it will prob-
ably continue as long as ‘‘thrift follows
fawning.”’ ROOSEVELT pays all his debts
in the currency of government patronage.
——Had the twelve gentlemen of our
neighboring county of Cleaifield, who as
jurymen in 1901 saddled the costs of a libel
suit, brought by Mr. FRANK HARRIS upon
the editor of this paper, known that indi-
vidual as everybody seems to know
him now, that verdict of ‘‘not guilty but
pay the costs’’ would probably have been
different.
Unjust Legislation.
There is no conceivable excuse for the
appropriation by the Legislature of a vast
sum of money for the improvement of the
wharves of Philadelphia. Two years ago
half a million was appropriated for the pur-
pose of deepening the channel in the Dela-
ware river. The reasons given for this ex-
penditure were that commerce would be
encouraged and the business of the port ex-
panded. Bat the money has been spent or
wasted and the channel bas not been deep-
ened. The real object of the appropriation
was to create a rake-off for the Philadelphia
political machine and it may be said thata
large part of it went to that purpose. That
sort of treasury leak should be stopped.
No other State appropriates money for
the improvement of harbors. That isa
work for Congress to perform and if the
city of Philadelphia would send fit men to
Congress there would be no necessity for
appealing to the Legisiature for funds to
improve the wharves. When RANDALL and
KELLEY and HARMER and VAUX and Mc-
ALEER were in Congress Philadelphia bad
no trouble in getting a just share of con-
gressional aid for the improvement of bar-
bors and wharves. But the degenerate
party machine no longer permits men of
that standard of fitness and ability to rep-
resent the people in Congress and the re-
sult is that the interests of the city suffer be-
cause their representatives are recreant.
As a matter of fact the people of Phila-
delphia are incapable of governing them-
selves. Either for the reason that cupidity
influences them to vote for bad men or be-
cause they haven't suflicient intelligence to
discriminate between fit and unfit candi-
dates, they are always represented in Con-
gress and both branches of the Legislature
by men who are either corrupt or incompe-
tent. In view of this fact it is both unfair
and unjust to ask the people of the State to
bear the expense of making improvements
which ought to be made by the national
government or by the corporations which
have the entire use of the wharves. All
the Legislators from the interior of the
State should oppose such legislation.
~ STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERA
LJSELLETONTE PA MAY
L UNION.
Auditor Gemers)! Young's Problem.
Auditor General Youxag, who entered
upon the duties of his office on Tuseday,
bas a difficult problem to solve. He was |
nominated to fool the people. That is to |
say, baving shown considerable independ- |
ence as a member of the Legislature and
a wonderful facility for overlooking things
as counsel for the Capitol Building Com-
mission, he was chosen by the machine
managers as one who might be acceptable |
to the reform element and would certainly |
be quiescent in the event of his election.
It is up to him now to determine which. he
will disappoint, the people who believed
in and voted for him or the wackiue man-
agers who hoped that he wonld gerve them.
After his nomination Mr. YOUNG assum-
ed an independent attitade. He refused to
attend the notification meeting and declar-
ed that unless Chairman ANDREWS were
deposed he would not accept the nomina-
tion. That incident didn’t disturb the
serenity of the machine managers, how-
ever. They reasoned that if he wire nos
willing to obey orders, his declination
would be more use to them than his ac-
ceptance, and they ‘‘stood pat.”” As we
predicted at the time, Mr. YOUNG soon
came down from his high borse and ‘‘took
his medicine.”” It may have been bitter
and naoseating to him but it was very
sweet and enjoyable to them for it register-
ed his complete abandonment of conscience
and sell-assertion.
But conditions have changed vastly since
Mr. YouNG's surprising recalcitrancy and
subsequent surrender. The capitol graft
has been exposed, and except for the pub-
lic confidence in Governor STUART and
himself the machine would bave heen
smashed into smithereens. In view of that
fact he is really noder no obligations to
the machine managers and might safely tell
them to ‘‘go hang.”” Sach a course would
justify the confidence of the people who
elected him and open up an immense nam-
ber of oppoertanities to serve the public and
strengthen himeelf in popular esteem. But
it would also greatly incense the disap-
pointed machine managers who would pur-
sue him with the relentless vengeance of a
Nemesis.
——It's costly some times to tell the
trath. The editor of this paper during the
campaign of 1901 prematurely told just the
kind of a rooster FRANK HARRIS, the Re-
publican candidate for State Treasurer was.
For doing so ‘a Clearfield county jury
maulcted him to the extent of over $900.-
00 as costs in a libel suit. That verdict
when read in connection with HARRIS’ ad-
mission in his recent testimony before the
capitol graft investigating committee, is
evidence of how expensive truth telling
can be made in some communities.
What Berry Has Achieved.
The public can’t possibly overestimate
the value of the service which WiLrLray H.
BERRY rendered in exposing the looting
operations in the construction of the cap-
ito! at Harrisburg. OI course if he had not
been elected to the office of State Treasurer
he would not have been able to render the
service because he woald never have bad a
peep into the books which revealed the
facts. But a State Treasurer other than a
scrupulously honest and inflexibly cour-
ageous mau might not have made the ex-
posure notwithstanding the opportunity.
Mr.BERRY was equal to the occasion, how-
ever. He measured up to the full stature re-
quired at the moment and for the purpose.
We have hitherto referred to some of the
important consequences of Mr. BERRY'S
election aad the exposures which followed.
In the absence of those things the machine
would probably still bein control of the
state government in all its departments
and the looting operations yet in progress.
Instead of that, however, the entire fabric
of fraud has beeu laid bare and present in-
dications point to the punishment of the
conspirators and the restitution of a consid-
erable portion of the spoils. That will be
a great achievement, both as a vindication
of justice and a pecuniary advantage of the
State. But it is not the most gratifying
‘result of Mr. BERRY'S work.
At a moment when the late Senator
QuAY'S heart was more than usually filled
with malice against the people he foisted
upon them SAMUEL W. FENNYPACKER as
Governor of the State. The stain which
that event put upon the reputation of the
Commonwealth is gradually being wiped
out and within a few years will be only an
unpleasant memory. But if Mr. BERRY
had not exposed the iniquities of the ma-
chine PEXNYPACKER would probably have
been elevated to the Supreme bench and
continued for years to pollute the public
service. This danger has been removed for
all time by the action of Mr. BERRY and
even if PENNYPACKER escapes the just
punishment for bis part in the crimes of his
administration, he will remain for all time
in the grave of oblivion.
—— President ROOSEVELT will probably
ges the colored vote of Ohio against For-
AKER even if he has to blow every South
Americun Republie into the sea.
Criminal Prosecutions.
We are assured on apparently adequate
authority that several of the conspirators
who looted the State Treasury in the con-
sonstruction of the capitol are to be prose-
cuted in the criminal courts. The testi-
mony of former State Treasurer FRANK
G. HARRIS is to be the basis of the prose-
cution, it is said, and it is certainly ample.
Mr. HARRIS testified that the law was
violated in various ways and though he
protested that no share of the plunder
found its way to him, he knew that the
irregularities were being perpetrated. The
trouble is that Mr. HARRIS is now in Eu-
rope aud may nos be available as a witness
in the criminal proceedings. In that event
other evidence will be required.
Bat there ought to be no trouble in get-
ting sufficient proo! from other sources.
SaMuer W. WILLIAMS, secretary of the
State Board of Trade, for example, testi-
fied that SANDERSON'S bid for the chan-
deliers which was three per cent. off of the
maximum price was read twenty-three per
cent off in order to prevent the contract go,
ing to himeelf at his bid of twenty per cent.
off. The secretary of the Board of Pablic
Grounds and Buildings who thus juggled
the bids is still ‘holding down’’ the job
and WILLIAMS is within the jurisdiction
of she courts, There is sufficient criminal-
ity in that transaction to send the entire
Board to the penitentiary and it ought to
be done.
The testimony of the sab-contractor who
supplied the Beaver county glass for bae-
carat glass is ample to guarantee the con-
viction of two or three of the conspirators.
That involved fraud of the most flagrant
type and is good for a conviction any time.
Then there is the testimony of the several
sub-contractors whose stationery was used
by Contractor PAYNE to pad bills. That
was both statutory and technical forgery
and ought to send three or four to prison.
As a matter of fact there is abundance of
evidence of fraud, outside of the testimony
of FRANK HARRIS, to put a score iuto
pricon clothes and it would be wise for the
authorities who have charge of the matter
to collect it.
A Legislative Failure.
Of course the State Constabulary per-
forms some creditable service now and
then. It would be strange, indeed, if a
force of two hundred men invested with
constabulary power and dispersed through-
out the State should not make an arrest
here and there. But that doesn’t justify the
creation of a force which is at least extra-
constitutiooal and may be without the au-
thority of the fundamental law together.
The local anthorities are amply capable of
maintaining order and enforcing the laws
in the several communities.
There is no reason for maintaining a
police organization in this county which
would not be tolerated in Philadelphia and
Pittsburg. Every intelligent man knows
that the municipal authorities of Philadel-
phia would resent a proposition to send
the State Constables to that city. It would
be an encroachment on the right of that
community to govern itself and regulate
its own affairs. But there is no greater
right to send State Constables into Centre
county than to send them into Philadel-
phia. In fact there is less necessity for
using them here thav there for the people
of this county are capable of self-govern-
ment and those of Philadelphia are not.
The Legislature ought to have repealed
the law creating the State Constabulary
and abolished that un-American force. It
is a dangerous organization and itd exist.
ence creates a dangerous precedent. It is
the last remaining token of PENNYPACK-
ER'S iniquitous regime and ought to be
disposed of as the press muzzler, the Phil-
adelphia ripper and other PENNYPACKER
attocitice have been disposed of. The peo-
ple want to forget that spawn of QUAYism
and so long as any of his vicious legislation
remains on the statute books, that is im-
possible.
——Anent the many discussions that
have been provoked since the ‘‘23" whis-
tle has been blowing in Bellefonte Col.
SPANGLER threw a little sidelight on the
curfew proposition a few evenings ago.
After wandering about the town for several
hours and finally landing with a party of
old bachelors who were discussing the or-
dinance the Colonel gave unexpected vent
to his feelings by remarking: ‘Well, I
wish council would pass an ordinance now
that would require these women who are
dafly over bridge and fliveh to be home by
ten-thirty at night.” Just wkat personal
reasons he might have bad for such av ex-
pression we do not care to discuss, but as a
general proposition it is one worthy of seri-
ous thought. If the boys and girls under
sixteen are to be chased home at nine
o'clock each night is there any assurance
that their fathers and mothers are going to
be in the home to exert that very influence
which the curfew aims to secure. Certain
it is, that with the bridgeand flinch craze
growing in so many mothers, the lodges
ard store boxes so attractive for so many
or
10, 1907.
NO. 19.
fathers and the women’s club attracting all
the nurses and other home care takers there
are few youngsters who bave to *‘skidoo”
when the whistle blows who find anythivg
elee than a deserted home and a lonely
march to bed in the dark.
——Tomorrow will be the last day for
all candidates to register in order to be eli-
gible to be voted for at the June primaries.
Where Does Mr. Taft Stand?
From the Commoner,
Congressman Loogworth of Ohio says
that Secretary Taft is the proper mau to
‘“‘carry to compeletion’’ the reform work
undertaken by President Roosevelt, and it
has been announced semiofficially that the
president, himself, desires the secretary's
nomination. The question that paturally
arises is: For what reforms does Secretary
Taft stand?
How far does he go on the subject of
railroad regulation? Is he satisfied with the
pretent law which the railroad republicans
of the senate forced the president to ac-
cept? (The president could have secured a
better law by accepting democratic aid,
but he compromised in order to make it
seem a republican measure.) Is Secretary
Taft in favor of the La Follette amendment
(which the republicans of the senate voted
down) authorizing the interestate com-
merce commission to ascertain the value of
the railroads? Is he in favor of legislation
which will prevent the watering of stock
and the issue of fictitious capitalization?
Will be speak out on these questions and
define his position, or will DE con-
servative supporters reassure the railroads
while the president rounds up the radical
republicans for him? If he becomes presi-
dent he will bave the appointment of inter-
state commerce commissioners; will be ap-
point men who sympathize with the rail
road magnates or men who sympathize
with the patrons of the roads?
Where does he stand on the trust ques.
tion? Is he against the principle of pri-
vate monopoly or does he believe merely in
trying to regulate monopolies? Does he
believe in enforcing the criminal law against
trust magnates? And is he satisfied with
the enforcement of the law against just a
few of the trusts?
How ahout the income tax? Does he en-
dorse the president’s position on that ques-
tion? And does he regard swollen fortunes
as a menance? Is he for arbitration of la-
bor difficulties? What does he think now
of government by injuvction? Is he still
an imperialist, or does he accept the Amer-
ican theory that governments derive their
just powers from the consent of the govern-
ed? Is he willing to take the peopie into
his confidence or does he expect to secure
the nomination without disclosing his po-
sition, and then run on av ambiguous
platform? Has he faith enough in his own
principles and in the people to make an
open, honest fight for definite reforms?
Where does Secretary Taft stand? What
does he stand for in the way of reforms?
President Roosevelt's platform said noth-
ing about reformein 1904 and the presi-
dent himself gave no intimtation of reform
tendencies until after the election. Will
Secretary Taft follow the president's ex-
"ample and fool the big corporations or will
he follow the example of several other
presidents and fool the pecple?
He should speak now or forever alter
hold his peace.
The Men Behind.
From the Pittsburg Post,
16 is declared that there is no longer any
doubt about both criminal and civil pro-
ceedings being brought against the men to
whom millions of dollars were wrongfully
paid for the construction and furnishing of
the capitol. That these men were will
fully and knowingly guilty of the grossest
frauds there can be no doubt. They
charged the State many times the value of
the work done and articles furnished. They
charged it also for articles that were not
furnished and for work that was not per-
formed. They furnished it with inferior
materials and charged for first class ones.
They charged for air space enclosed by ar-
ticles of furniture, as if that space were
valuable material. They were aided in
the work by faithless oflicials, who should
also be prosecuted for criminal negligence
and carelessness,
The men who did these things are known,
The men to whom the moneys of the State
were illegally directly paid are also known.
Bat there still remain to be discovered the
men who secretly shared in these ill-gotten
gains. The contractors and architect who
received their contracts for thecapitol work
and waterials did so because they had the
backing of some powerful political leaders.
The latter doubtless did not lend their in-
fluence for nothing. It is important to
know what consideration they received
from the contractors and the architect for
causing their selection.
The people expect the investigation com-
mission to ascertain this important infor-
mation, so that the men who shared the
capitol loot with the contractors and archi-
tect may also be called into court toan-
swer for their acts.
Exterminating a Pest.
From the Pittsburg Times.
The conviction of eleven members of the
Black Hand at Wilkes-Barre on Monday is
the most important trinmpb of its kind
that has been won by the authorities in
Pennsylvania since the Molly Maguries
were brought to bay in the anthracite coal
region more than 30 years ago. While
these organizations differed widely in their
Jaron, their methods and the national
ty of their membership, they differed little
kidnap pti
2 upon the commun-
ity. Besides, the whole spirit of both in-
stitutions was at variance with American
standards and the system upon which they
were based was in flat defiance of the
church to which the membes professed alle-
giance, It is well, therefore, that the
campaign of extermination which has been
juaugutabed 0 Yacoemfully gr Luzerne
county shoul a e cor «
ner of the commonwealth where the Black
Hand is known to exist.
Spawls from the Keystone,
~The dog poisoner is getting busy in the
borough of DuBois and some valuable dogs
bave fallen victims by the wayside.
—During the year 1906 there were 723
births and 481 deaths in Huntingdon county,
the births exceeding the deaths by 242.
—A cow was engulfed in a mine breach
near Shamokin on Sunday aud disappeared
entirely. Miners searched for the animal in
the mine beneath but could not find her.
—Considerable excitement was occasioned
in Knoxdale, Knex township, Jefferson
county, recently by the drillers who are
prospecting for gas striking a strong flow at
the depth of 2,450 feet.
—W. R. Myers, of Vail, has an Indian
game hen that laid 100 eggs in 100 tuccessive
days. Then she took a week off to recu-
perate. Friday she produced an egg with a
corrugated shell which measured 74 by 6}
inches.
—In the department of bricklaying in the
Carnegie Technical schools in Pittsburg,
there is only one scholar, who is looked after
by a professor who is paid $15a day and an
expert bricklayer who gets $6 a day.
~The first gas in the borough of Carroll.
town was lighted a few days ago, after the
pipes were connected with the American
hotel. Itis supplied from the Fisher well
and the pressure therefrom is about 800
pounds,
—While cleaning house ou Saturday morn-
ing a servant of Dr. P. Dunn, of Mahanoy
city, cast a box containing $200 in bank notes
into Mahanoy creek along with a lot of waste.
A reward has been offered for the box and
contents and a hunt is being made for it.
—A high grade of cement rock has been
found on the farm of James Miller, near
Perkiomenville, Montgomery county, and a
big boom in the industry is anticipated, as a
syndicate of Alabuma capitalists has leased
the lands of about twenty property holders
in that locality.
~The Saxton furnaces have again started
up. Last Wednesday morning furnace No.
2 was fired in after an idleness of almost four
years. This valuable property was purchas-
ed by former Congressman Joseph E. Thropp,
of Everett, Bedford county, last fall, and bas
undergone extensive repairs.
—There are two prisoners in the county
jail at Sunbury awaiting trial for murder,
William Whittaker, for the murder of his
wife at Mt. Carmel last fall, and Henry Fisher
for the murder of Sara Klinger,at Shamokin,
and both have become insane or are feigning
insanity. Whittaker has become very vio-
lent.
—The last dollar of a fund of $20,000 re-
quired to insure the establishment of a Y. M.
C. A. branch at Narbeth, Montgomery coun-
ty, was raised on time on Tuesday night and
the result was announced by the ringing of
church and fire bells, the display of fire.
works, firing of revolvers and other demon -
strations of rejoicing.
—The Foor Brothers, owners of a tract of
land containing about sixty-five acres, lo.
cated at Tatesville, Bedford county, have
leased the same to a party from Clearfield
county. There ison the tract a deposit of
sand which is said to be of superior quality,
and it is to develop this that the new com-
pany has been formed.
—The next thing they will be catching
whales in the Juniata river. Ope day re-
cently Thomas Crosson,of Grandville, Mifflin
county, caught a carp which weighed twenty-
two pounds and measured thirty-seven and
one-half inches. It was caught on a hook
and line, and Mr, Crosson was about Lalf an
hour in landing his prize.
—The second payment of $500,000 on the
purchase price of $2,000,000 for the common
stock of the Lancaster County Railway and
Light company, was made on Wednesday by
the New York syndicate of bankers who
made the purchase some time ago. The com-
pany will expend $200,000 for betterments
and extensions, so as to connect with Harris.
burg and Philadelphia.
—Three men were killed six injured, three
fatally, last Friday in an ore mine at Rid-
dlesburg, Bedford county. The men were
all foreigners. A shifting crew placed a car
on which the men had been unloading ore,
on a trestle while other cars were being
placed. When the engine backed to the
main track it struck the car containing the
men. It was derailed and fell 30 feet into a
creek below,
—A number of boys were brought before
Burgess Warman, of Uniontown, last Friday
charged with chicken stealing, and the bur-
guess not wishing to send them to jail, di.
rected them to go to their homes, study the
Ten Commandments for ten days and then
report to him. The papers and citigens gen-
erally of Uniontown are commending the
burgess for his unique manner of treating
these young offenders.
—A shooting affair occurred at the Philips.
burg brick works last Thursday evening,
Michael Durcia, an Italian, aged 16 years
was shot in the cheek by an American
named Michael Hemmes, of South Philips.
burg. They were standing between two
kilns, and from all accounts there was no
quarrel, but Hemmes is said to have fired the
shot apparently without any provocation.
He was arrested and placed under bail for
his appearance at court,
—For killing snakes Charles Kettler, of
Newberry, Lycoming county, has establish-
ed a record. Wednesday he returned from a
hunt in the neighborhood of the Reading
and Pennsylvania tracks with forty-five to
his credit, seventeen of which were copper-
heads. Three copperheads were captured
alive and he has them at his home. When
he ran into the nest of reptiles they showed
fight and before he had finished battle there
were no less than a score of dead ones lying
about.
—sConsiderable mystery surrounds the
death of Samuel Wagner, of Belsena,Cambria
county, whose body, with pockets rifled, was
found upon the railroad tracks at Nant.y-glo
Friday morning. It was at first thought
that Wagner had been hit by a train, but the
discovery of several clean cuts about his
throat and head, evidently made with a
knife, has aroused the suspicion of foul play.
Drops of blood were found at intervals along
the railroad track for 100 feet,although there
were no indications that Wagner's body bad
been dragged by a passing train.