SSR
RR
BY P. GRAY MEEK.
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Ink Slings.
—In the town of Orsen, Sweden, no taxes
at all are levied. Verily that place must
be a suburb of Heaves.
—Georgia bas joined the ranks of Pro-
hibition States, but they are still making
colonels and bourbon in Kentucky.
—The way the French and Spavish pep-
pered the Moors at Casablanca makes it
look as though The Hague couference is
bearing fruit a little ont of season.
—In Chicago men are dying at a rate of
thirty per cent. in advance of the women.
This is the first real statistical proof to
show that Chicago women are slow.
—There was a day when about all a cor-
poration lawyer had to do was draw bis
retainer. Times bave changed, however.
Most of them are working overtime now.
—The public seems to be fightin’ shy of
the magnanimous offer we are makiog to
sell a $135 claim at any old price. Can it
be for the old reason that ‘‘a burnt child
dreads the fire.”
—Women in a London contest rolled
cigarettes at the rate of four a minute for
hours at a time. Roll fast as they may
they can’t keep ahead of the smoking
youth of the country.
—Philadelphia avd New York are beiog
swept with a mania of crime. Indeed condi-
tions are so bad that thieves are falling on
one another and neither city seems able to
capture the culprits or interfere with their
depredations.
—What that fine would be to the average
corporation would be good and plenty but
to the Standard Oil company Judge
LANDIS’ little fine of twenty-nine million
dollars is a mere bagatelle—more likely a
cent a gallon advauvce in coal oil.
—The three gentlemen farmers of this
place who have bought the monster gentle-
man horse which has been displaying itselt
on our streets lately can scarcely be classed
as gamblers yet there is no denying the
fact that they are dealing in fatures,
— With a crown for his bead and a mil-
lion and a half for his pockets as his share
of the BATHURST Earldom in England, Mr.
Josnua FoLk Esq., would be way upamong
the class that pleads the statute of limita-
tions to escape paying its just debts, but
would Josu do that? Honestly we don’t
believe he would.
—Attorney Geperal Topp talks square
enough. He wants the capitol commission
toshield no one, but to go to the bottom
of the scandal and reveal, if possible, all
the guilty ones. Will he be as square in
prosecuting vigorously and fearlessly the
guilty after they are disclosed to him ?
That is the question.
—With Jonx SHARP WILLIAMS repre-
sentivg Mississippi in the upper brasch of
Congress the South still maintains its com-
mendable policy of sending men ol brains
rather than men of money into the govern-
ment’s legislative halls. If the North
could say as much there would be less talk
ol cocialism and les: encouragement for
anarchism in the land.
—Tabloid beer, whiskey and cocktails
are said to have become perfected as a
commercial commodity. They should cer-
tainly prove popular hecaunse with them
ever person could run a ‘‘pig’s ear’ right
in his own vest pocket ; besides, they
would be so much pleasanter to take than
calomel or some of the other delicacies
usually dished out in tabloid form.
—The capitol probers cannot afford to
take any middle ground in making their
report. They must either fasten the graft
on some one or acknowledge that they have
been unable to find ont who got it. The
public has admired the determined work
they have done thus far, but is in no mood
for any report that will show eymptoms of
being made with a whitewash brush.
—A Japanese porter carries his tea pot
with him when he goes to his day’s work
and the news is heralded in the pipers asa
matter worthy of note when right here in
Bellefonte there is a prominent banker
whose plethoric pockets are not regarded
as properly filled unless a tiny little coffee
pot is in place there for individual use
when be goes out into the country for the
day.
—Business was just beginning to get set-
tled down again alter the scare of last
March and optimism was fast displacing
pessimism in the outlook, when np jumps
all manner of discouraging news and a
new back-set is suffered. This condition
may be thought to apply to Wall street
alone but such is not the case. For when
industrial and railroad securities find no
market and fall in price it i= a matter of
more than mere sentiment, capital becomes
secretive and eunspicions aud business gen- |
erally contracts.
~Mrs. STUYVESANT FisH, leader of “‘the
400,’ has just published an interview in
which she advises girls to develop the best
within them and not make marriage the
one aim and end of life. Her sentiments
are really worth the reading and heeding
and we are glad to know that the sad re.
sults of bartering Newport money for
foreign titles have at last dawned upon
the Queen of that social centre. There can
be no doubt of the folly of marriages of
convenience and to secure social and
financia! prominence hut «the good old-
fashioned kind that are made for love
neither dwarf the girl's ambitions nor pre-
clude her attaining eminence in any sphere
she might develop talent for.
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Demacratic:f
OL. 32.
Opening of the Democratic Campaign.
The wide spread integest iu the opening
of the Democratic campaign is the most
substantial sign of Democratic victory. It
means hoth mental and physical activity
among the Democrats of the State and those
things invariably bring success. The Re-
publicans in Pennsylvania bave never bad
the overwhelming majority which election
results in recent years have indicated.
Those majorities were acquired by frandu-
lent votes on one hand and political leth-
argy on the other. PENNYPACKER was
never elected Governor of Pennsylvania
and he knew it. Because of that miscar-
riage of justice the beneficiary of it main-
tained a friendly. interest in ballot box
staffers and bad election laws throughout
bis entire term of office. He counldn’t be
prevailed ou to encourage genuine ballot
reform legislation. He believed in the
methods which put him in power notwith-
standing an honest majority against him.
The suggestion made by W.J. BREN-
NAN, Esq., at the recent session of the
Democratic State committee, that two
thousand meetings be held in as many
communities on the same day, at which
from six to ten thousand Democratic orators
speak from tbe text, “Thou Shalt Not
Steal,’ is meeting with muchjfavor. Why?
Because the relevancy of the proposition is
so obvions. Drunk with long continued
power the Republican machine ha: been
shamefully misgoverning the State of
Pennsylvania for many years. The elee-
tion of a Democrat to the office of State
Treasurer two years ago put a stop to these
iniquities for the time. The result of the
coming election will determine{ whether
the better conditions shall endure perma-
nently or not. The issue of the {campaign
is expressed in the proposed text. ‘‘Thou
shalt not steal,” will be the meaning of
the election of JouN G. HARMAN as it was
of the success of Mr. BERRY.
We are not informed as to the exact
plas for the opening of the Democratic
campaign. The party leaders have not, as
yet, bad opportanity to mature plans.
Various suggestions, including that of Mr.
BRENNAN have advantages and disadvan-
tages. Holding 2,000 meetings on the
same day would be an Herculean labor.
The Democratic ahairmax is equal to any
tax upon his energy aud zeal bat as an in-
telligent man he is opposed to wasting
either. Chairman DIMELING will spare
neither labor nor expense in the campaign.
But he will get one hundred cents out of
every dollar he invests of either and follow
the plans for the opening of the campaign
which promises the greatest results in
votes. He is now considering the sabject
aud will arrive at a conclusion iu dae
time and when the result of his delibera-
tions is avuoanced it will commend itself
to the favor of Democrats everywhere.
Roosevelt's Dangerous Purposes.
The President has determined to dispatch
a vast fleet of battleships to the Pacific
coast in the near fatare. A few weeks
ago he declared in unequivocal terms that
he bad po such purpose in mind, but that
makes no difference. The President al-
ways reserves the right to falsify when he
feels like it and to call anybody who ques-
tions his word a liar. Happily none of his
predecessors in office ever got into that
habit. All former Presidents of the United
States were truthful and dignified. Bat
ROOSEVELT is neither. He has besn con-
vioted of lying on several occasions.
There is no necessity for sending the
battleships to the Pacific ocean. In fact
there is grave danger in such a course. It
is likely to be interpreted not only by
Japan, but by all other countries, as an
implied declaration of war against that
empire. Probably such an event would
not jeopardize our government. Iu other
words we might defeat Japan in such an
encounter without wuch of a tax upon our
physical or financial resources. But the
expense in life aud treasure would be im-
mepse and the cost in character and honor
overwhelming. Besides it would leave the
Atlantic coast needlessly exposed.
But President ROOSEVELT cares as little
for the interests of the country as he does
for his own reputation for veracity. He is
a candidate for re-election and proposes to
satisfy bis ambition at any cost. That is
the secret of the dispatch of the battleships
to the Pacific ocean. ROOSEVELT knows
that if the country is involved iu war he
can compass his election however averse
the people are to such a result. Therefore
he proposes to sacrifice the country to his
personal ambition. He wants war with
Japan in order to restore that spirit of
militarism which made him the idol of the
thoughtless after the Spanish-American
war.
——Reports from along the Bald Eagle
creek state that hass fishermen are baving
all kinds of lack this season. Bass appear
to be plentier thau for years and many
good catches are reported. O! coarse this
will be very agreeable news to the Belle.
route fishermen who anticipate a number
of trips down the valley iu the near fatare.
RB bX ¥ x3
The Standard O11 Fine.
Tbe authorities in Washington, we are
informed by the newspaper correspondents,
are displeased with the penalty which
Judge LANDIS, of the United States Dis-
trict court, has pat upon the Standard Oil
company, for violating the auti-discrim-
ination laws. The Department of Justice
bas expressed the apprehension that severi-
ty of the sentence; a fine of something over
twenty-nine million dollars, will excite
sympathy for the trust and defeat the
President's corporation policies. A normal
fine which Mr. ROCKEFELLER could bave
paid oat of his pin-money purse would bave
been all right, they believe. Bat a real
substantial penalty, such as way compel
the principal sharebolders of the corpora-
tion to dig out of their anearned profits of
the past, is cruel and anusaal.
The truth of the matter is that the au-
thorities at Washington didn’t intend to
punish the Standard Oil company at all
for its various and sandry violations of the
anti-discrimination law, enacted long be- |
fore President. ROOSEVELT had become |
conspicuous in the pablic life of the coun- |
try: It was hoped, probably, that accord- |
ing to the custom of the President, there |
should be long drawn-out litigation on the |
subject of the Standard’s infractions of the
law and in the end a compromise on a
mild rebuke or a nominal ine. Mr. H. H.
ROGERS, the actual controller of the Stand-
ard, was really the principal contributor to
the corruption fund which purchased the
election of RoosEVELT and he bad been
goaranteed immunity. Bat through some
inexplicable miscarriage of plans the case
came before a judge who bad been schooled
in political and ethical principles by the
late WALTER Q. GRESHAM, and he let his
conscience rather than political expediency
guide him in his judicial action avd the
Department of Justice at Washiogton is
greatly dissatisfied.
As a matter of fact, however, the deci»
sion of Judge LANDIS imposing a fine of
upward of twenty-nine million dollars on
the Standard Oil company will not iu the
least measare affect President ROOSEVELT'S
policies with respect to trusts. The recent
incident in North Carolina settled that
question for all time aod a good period in
the space of eternity. President Roose.
VELT'S policies were predicated absolutely
on the theory that the States counldn’t or
wonldn’s regulate corporations operating
within their boundaries. The Legislature
of North Carolina proved the contrary and
when a servile and aycophantic jndge un-
dertook to nullify the action, Gevernor
GLENN, of the ‘Old North State,”’ simply
made a monkey of him. He closed the
incident in the right way.
Harman's Service for Reform.
The fitness of JouN G. HARMAN, Demo-
cratic nominee for State Treasurer, for that
important office is completely revealed in
his record as a Reprezentative in the Legis-
latare during the sessions of 1905 and 1906.
Mr. HARMAN is more a lawyer than a
financier but be is business man enough to
understand the peculiar relations of the
office of State Treasurer to political condi-
tions and parties. The question was not
considered daring the regular session of
1905. The PENROSE machiue, in complete
control at that time and “drunk with
power,”’ was too confident of the future to
bother with such trifies, though Mr, HAR-
MAN warned them of the impending revolt.
But during the special session the ques-
tion presented itself in unmistakable form.
That session was called not, as many sup- |
pose, for the purpose ol enacting real re-
form legislation, but in order to make such
a pretense as would fool the public. In
pursuance of that purpose the law ‘‘to
regulate the deposits of state funds,”’ was
enacted and but for the vigilance and abili-
ty of JouN G. HARMAN, then a Represen-
tative in the Legislature for Columbia
county, the machine control of that service
would bave been perpetnated. In fact the
provisions of the bill, as planned by the
machine, invested Auditor General SNy-
DER, State Treasurer MATTHUES, Banking
Commissioner BERKEY and Secretary of
the Commonwealth MoAFEE, four of the
most servile political hacks who ever prosti-
tated the public service, with the power of
disposing of the deposits during the entire
term of State Treasurer BERRY.
Previous to the passage of the law in
question the State Treasurer exercised com-
plete control of the deposits. The Board
of Revenue Commissioners had some right
to intervene but never exercised it and the
State Treasurers farmed the funds for their
personal or political advantage. Mr, BERRY
asked for legislation to correct this evil and
under pretense of complying with the re-
quest the machine Legislature wearing a re-
form mask proceeded to enact a law which
would have gone into effect before Mr.
BeERRY's induction into office,aud given the
henchmen named power to fix the deposits
for Mr. BERRY’S full term and everybody
knows how they would bave disposed of
the funds.
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STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION.
BELLEFONTE, PA., AUGUST 9, 1907.
-—=Subscribe for the WATCHMAN.
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Value of Minority Representative, |
While the text and tone of the report of
the capital probers are still matters of con-
jecture, one fact has been fixed absolutely.
That is that if there bad been no minority
representation on the commission the re-
port would have been a large and luminous
coat of whitewash. For the past week
Senator DEWALT and Representative AM-
MERMAN have been contending ‘‘tooth and
toe-nail’”’ with the majority of the body
for such a report as may be expected to
contribate to the prosecution and punish-
ment of the crooks, official and unofficial,
who have been looting the treasury through
the building operations of sbe capitol.
The latest information is that they have
succeeded in forcing such a result, bat at
vast expense in labor.
State Senator JouN S. FISHER, chair-
man of the commission, is a man of excel-
lent reputation for integrity. Senator Sis.
soN is held equally high in public estima-
tion. Representative FAIR, of Westmore-
land county, is above reproach and Repre-
sentative Moses SHIEnps, of Wyoming
county, is clearly in thesame class. Repre-
sentative DEARDEN, of Philadelphia, bas
long been kuownas av independent in
politics and a reformer in principle. These
excellent gentlemen compose the majority
of the capitol investigating commission.
Yet if they had not been literally driven,
by the energy and persistency of the mi-
nority, they would have enbmitted a re-
port practically guaranteeing immunity to
the looters. They exbausted every expe-
dient to compass that result.
The people of Pennsylvania have an op-
portunity to continue minority representa.
tion in the governing boards of the Com-
monwealth. The election of WILLIAM H.
BERRY, two years ago, created that minor-
ity representation with the result that the
capitol graft was exposed. We don’t say
detected, for we believe that the iniquities
were kuown by those on the inside all the
time. But the exposure and correction of
the evil followed Mr. BERRY's election
and the election of JoEN G. HARMAN this
year is necessary to preserve the political
morality which Mr. BERRY bas established
for the time, If the Republican candidate
ie elected he will be as Senators FISHER
ant SgesoN and Representatives Fam,
SHIELDS and DARDEN have been. That is
he will try to shield the party at the ex-
pense of the people and the corruption of
the past will be resumed.
Senator Foraker's Unwise Course.
Seuator FORAKER, of Ohio, is not reveal-
ing his customary political prescience in
attacking Secretary TAFT for advocating
tariff revision. In all of his speeches thus
far the Ohio Senator has dwelt upon the
Secretary’s recent declaration that in the
interest of justice the schedules of the
DINGLEY law ought to be cut down. That
sort of campaigning will bring him nothing
in Obio. TAFT is the only announced Ohio
candidate and whether he favors tariff re-
form or tariff abnadoument makes no differ.
ence to the average Ohio Republican voter.
Au Ohio President means party patronage
for Obians and an Ohio candidate would be
certain of the support of Ohio voters even
if he was runuivg on a platform pledged to
opposition of the Ten Commandments,
As a matter of fact, however, Secretary
TAFT iz net a candidate for President in
earnest. He was what might be called a
“decoy duck’' seeking for votes in the
interest of RoOSEVELT'S candidacy fora
third term and anncunced himself in favor
of tariff revision hecause ROOSEVELT being
on the other side of that question cau get
the ‘‘stand-patters’’ on his own account.
That sort of juggling with policies is dis-
honest, of course, but President ROOSEVELT
doesn't minda trifle of that kind and as
the Supreme Court beuch ie to be TAFI's
rewaid for the perfidy involved, aud as he
covets that judical distinction beyond all
things else, he bas agreed to play the part.
In fighting TAFT, however, FORAKER is
wasting bis ammunition which is nnusnal
with FORAKER.
ROOSEVELT wants another term and
realizes that he is up against a bard propo- |
sition. He is not as popular as he used to :
be for ‘‘four-flushers’’ never bold out long,
and his only hope lies in getting the dele.
gates pledged to another candidate with |
whom be can ‘‘deal’’ squarely or otherwise.
TAFT appears to be the man be bas select-
ed, and not unwisely for be bas drawn
FORAKER'S fire which makes it harmless. |
It instead of attacking TAFT the Ohio Sen-
ator would open his batteries on ROOSE-
VELT things might be different when the
roll of the convention is called. As itis,
unless appearances are misleading, ROOSE-
VELT will get the stand-pattera and TAFT
the tariff reformers avd by pooling their
isenes they will bowl FORAKER out of the
equation altogether.
——Street commissioner Thomas Shaugh-
ensey with a force of men have been work-
ing on the east end of Linn and Lamb streets
this week ; doing a little grading, cleaning
out gutters and scraping the loose stones
\ Te
off the streets.
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NO. 31.
A Planned Delay.
From the Pittsburg Past,
It is now said that the capitol inveshiga-
tion commission's report may not be made
for two or three weeks. en, of conrse,
the governor and attorney general will
take considerable time to decide what ac-
tion they will take. Probably a short time
before election day some tions will
be begun with a great flourish of trumpets.
It will, of course, be im ble to try any
of the accused persons before the election.
It bas evidently been the object of the Re-
publican leaders to bring about this state
of affairs. They do not want any of the
capitol grafters tried before the election.
To that end they bave delayed action by
the investigation commission.
There was no good reason why the com-
mission should not have made a report to
the Legislature before it adjourned. It had
plenty of evidence in its on, and
with greater diligence could have collected
more. Warrants should have been issu
two months ago for the arrest of the capi
grafters, and indictments found against
them and their cases fixed for trial by this
time. Bat this program did not suit the
machine leaders. It wonld be most awk-
ward for them should some of the grafters
be acquitted by a friendly jury before the
election took place, or if some of them
should be convicted and then turn State's
evidence Sisnine! their influential political
backers. erefore it was necessary that
matters should be delayed, so that no trials
would be ible until after the election.
If the election should result in favor of
the machine candidate for State Treasurer
then it would be taken as an indication
that the people were not interested in the
capitol steal, and that there was no neces-
sity for pushing the cases against the gralt-
ers. That the program for delay was de-
liberately planned there can be no doubt.
It remains to be seen whether the people
Spprove of the actions of those responsible
or it.
San Francisco's Fight.
From the Harrisburg Star Independent.
San Francisco still is in the fight against
grafting. The grand jury is accumulating
evidence against officials of the Pacific
States telephone company, and the vice
president of the company bas been arraign-
ed for refusing to testify in a trial for gralt-
ing. While this is going forward the Su-
preme Court will take up the application
of Mayor Taylor's private secretary tocom-
pel Auditor Horton to sign his salary de-
mand, which will settle the question of
the validity of Taylor's tenure of office. It
seems a complicated business, but it isn't,
for the varions proceedings have no con-
nection.
The good people of San Fraunciseo «ac.
cepted a dificult task when they nader
to clean their Augean stables. Boss Ruef
was on horseback and defiant. Like other
bosses who ‘‘ran the town’’ Ren! believed
that his power was absolute and that it
could not be affected by public clawor
against grafting and grafters. Schmitz,
his lieutenant, was Mayor, and gralters
were in official position where they could
levy blackmail, collect tribute avd sell
franchises and immunities to the highest
bidder. Their grafting wachine was per-
fect, so perfect, indeed, that it seemed in-
destructible, and like Boss Tweed, the
elt most secare when disaster was impend-
Dg.
Grafters are successful for a time. They
feather their nests and retain the respect
and the confidence of the community
awhile. But eventually they are found
out and forced to realize tbat dishonesty is
the worst policy. Sometimes it is difficult
to convict a grafter, and sometimes it is
difficult to keep bim in jail if the pardon-
ing power is sympathetic. The people of
San Francisco are doing both.
Other Trusts as Bad.
From the Lancaster Intelligencer.
The fierce and double headed attack on
the Standard Oil monopoly warrants the
query why similar assault upon other big
monopolies is not in order. One thing at
a time, may be the answer, but time is
certainly ripe for attack upon the many gi-
gantic trusts and combinations which
flourish under our very protective tarifl.
If the Standard Oil Company is to be haal-
ed up short for maintaining its monopoly
by making its competitors pay several
prices for transporting their product, why
shonld a monopoly of steel or of any other
product be protected from competition by
the iovernment itself, even though it is
very far from being an infant industry, and
actually sells its product cheaper in foreign
markets than it does at bome ?
Itis all very well to hit the Standard.
It bas no friends. But where is the cham-
pion bold enough to hit the monopolies
entrenched behind our overgrown and
selfishly adjusted protective tariff ?
He is vot in the White House.
Government Ownership not
Undesirable.
From the Connellsville Courier.
The prosecution of the Powder Trust by
the Government bas aroused the lively
fears of some timid persons, who tell us
that the powder supply is short and that if
we were to have war with Japan, for in.
stance, we wounldn’t have enough ammuni-
tion to shoot up the goeny,
Sach people are like the girl who wept
bitterly before the bake oven, because, as
she explained, she jost thought she might
some day get married and might have a
little baby and it might crawl into the hot
oven and be burned to death. We are not
at war with Japan, at least not yet. Our
powdes requirements are not fo extensive
ut that they cannot be cared for.
In this connection it might be stated
that government ownership of its powder
supply would for many reasons be desir.
able. Weare not Sppesch to all forms of
government or muncipal ownership.
wholly
——Bellefonters who some time ago
made application for a obarter to organize
a lodge of Elks in this place, now feel sure
that it will be granted them about October
first.
Spawls from the Keystone,
—The village of Avis, Lycoming county, is
goiug to petition to become a borough.
—Harry Priutzenhoff, Hamburg, Berks
county, has 5,000 young ducks on his poul-
try farm.
—The home of Russell Martin, on Penn
street, Punxsutawney, was entered by burg-
lars a few nights ago and $45 in cash was
taken.
~—There is a rumor current in DuBois that
A new evening paper, with democratic pro~
clivities, is to be started in that town in the
near future.
—Last Friday Mrs. Elizabeth Shoemaker
celebrated her 101st birthday at her home
in Sabula, Clearfield county. A large number
of persons were present.
~The executive committee of the prohibi-
tion party of Cambria county, recently held
a meeting at which it was decided to enter
upon an aggressive campaign.
~At the plant of the Williamsport Planing
Mill company there is being built a door so
large that it is necessary to be built outside
the work rooms, Itis thirteen by fifteen
feet in size.
~—Fearing the heavy fine imposed on the
Standard Oil company may cause another big
advance in the price of oil, a number of per
sons in Pottsville have already laid in a
year's supply of oil.
~The assessed valuation of the real estate
in Bucks county, is $39,185,374, and the
number of taxables is 27,207. There are
337,634 acres of cleared land and 18,728
acres of timber land
~Jacob Bankus, employed as track ine
spector for the Pennsylvania railroad be-
tween East Bloomsburg and Epsy, has been
on duty for twenty-two years, withonly a
few days off, and has walked over 100,000
miles.
~The city of Williamsport bas given a
site for a uew armory aud the state has
promised $50,000 for the erection of a mag-
nificent building to house the four compan-
ies of the Twelfth Regiment in that place.
—Four cows crouched along a wire fence,
on the farm of Peter Gerber, seven miles
from York, were killed by lightning and
two others were badly stunned, on Saturday.
The lightning had struck a post and then
followed the wire to the cows.
—Because of ill health, Rev. Dr. M. L.
Ganoe, pastor of the First Methodist Episco-
pal church of Bloomsburg, and one of the
most prominent ministers in Central Penn.
sylvania conference, has resigned, and itis
believed he will never again be able to re.
sume active pastoral work.
—A debt of $600 on the property of the
Westminister Presbyterian church of Mifilin-
town was cancelled last Sunday by Dr. Lu.
cian Banks, who offered to pay the debt pro-
vided the congregation raised a sum suffi-
cient to repair and repaint the parsonage.
The offer was accepted and $250 was prompt-
ly raised.
—Building permits calling for improve.
ments amounting to $115,450 were issued in
Williamsport last month. This looks as
though there was a big amouut of construc.
tion going on in that city, but that is not the
case. One permit was for $100,000 and rep-
resents the New Pine Street Methodist
Episcopal church.
—M1s. Reuben Sorgen and Mrs, Harry
McClosky, of Monument, Clinton county,
had an exciting battle with a monster black-
suake last Friday afternoon. They were
walking on Main street in that town when
they encountered the reptile and, securing
clubs, waded in. After a struggle they suc.
ceeded in killing it. The snake measured
six feet ten inches.
—\While running through the bushes ona
mountain side in the vicinity of Shamokin,
Monday morning, Joseph Zina struck a
wire hidden by the leaves, and his nose and
upper lip were cut off while several § of his
teeth were knocked out. It was afterwards
discovered that if the wire had not stopped
his progress he would have plunged intoa
mine hole in the earth 175 feet deep.
—Workmen who are engaged in extending
astreet through a field at Lewistown last
Friday unearthed a skeleton. Itis}ithought
to be that of a man about six feet tall, and
the discovery brings to the surface a murder
mystery. It is said that some fifty years ago,
in a house which has since been torn down,
were found blood stains which were never
accounted for. Now the supposition is that
a murder was committed and that the skele-
ton is that of the victim.
—After u honeymoon of less than a week,
Mrs. Thomas Shafer, of Selinsgrove June.
tion, has separated from her husband, charg-
ing that the house he provided for their
home was so infested with copperhead snakes
that it was dangerous to stay in the vicinity.
She has returned to her former home in
Harrisburg and coldly ignores her husband’s
requests that she return, affirmiug that she
would rather work her fingers to the bone
than go back to the dangerous comp anion.
ship of the reptiles.
—James R. Culbertson, residing near Kist-
ler, Perry county, met with a sudden and
horrible death on Thursday, July 30. He
was engaged in hauling wheat from one of
the fields ou his farm with a four-horse team
and while descending a hill the team ran
off. Mr. Culbertson was alone atthe time
and just how the accident happened is not
positively known, but itis thought he at-
tempted to lock the wagon and was thrown
under the wheels. One wheel passed over
his head, crushing it so that he died in a few
minutes. The deceased was 39 years old and
leaves a widow and five children.
—Through the bed of what was once the
South Fork Lake, of Johustown flood his.
tory, one of the largest bodies of water iu the
state, two or three railroad tracks run. The
summer cottages are gone ; the guests at the
club are gone ; the cottages are occupied by
workmen ; the club is in the hands of arti-
gans. A mine is being sunk in the bed of the
lake which brought death to 3000 persons
and caused millions of dollars’ damage the
afternoon of May 31,1830, Aud the town
which is springing up about the new mine is
St. Michael. If the old Conemaugh lake
gtill existed the town site would be 20 to 60
feet unde water. By the last of this week
St. Michael will be a flag stop on the Dunlo
Branch railroad, and within six months it
will be a regular stop. In 18 months, the
optimists say, there will bea population of
5000.