BY P. GRAY MEEK.
EE ————————————————————————————————————
INK SLINGS.
—Is it to be war with Mexico, or only
benevolent assimilation?
——And ROOSEVELT is in the jungles
of South America. What’s the use?
—A year ago today it was as hot as it
was here last Sunday when the mercury
reached 86 degrees.
—If war really “is hell” as General
Sherman has declared it to be, Mr.
HUERTA is evidently determined to have
his portion of it at the very first moment
possible.
——Potatoes are the most important
crop in Lehigh county, according to the
report of the United States Soil Survey.
It may be added that the Irish in Lehigh
county talk Pennsylvania Dutch.
—Strange as it may appear Mr. PAL-
MER was out of Washington all of last
week and yet Mr. WILSON’S administra-
tion as well as Congress seems to have
gotten along about as well as usual.
—Maybe HUERTA didn’t have powder
enough to fill his old guns and maybe
they wouldn’t go off and maybe they are
only wooden after all. You know the
Chinese made a pretty strong bluff with
‘wooden guns until it was finally called.
——1It is charged that a working agree-
ment has been established between the
PENROSE machine and the editor of the
Philadelphia North American. If that be
true PENROSE would better watch out.
VAN usually gets the bettét of any bar-
gain he enters into.
—The spirit of the conqueror flashed
from the wireless message of an Ameri-
can Admiral who had just put to sea
under sealed orders which read: “We
don’t know where we are going or what
we are to do, but what ever it is we are
ready for it.”
—The scientist who declares that bald-
headed men fall to sleep more readily
than others, while in church, is, speaking
from entirely personal observations and
a most intimate knowledge of one speci-
men of this class, not a scientiest at all.
He is just a plain liar.
—Really it’s beginning to look as if the
HUERTA dictatorship for the people of
Mexico, and the MCcCorRMICK effort to
become the same for the Pennsylvania
Democrats would find a fitting resting
place, on the historical junk pile about
the same time, during the summer of
1914.
' —If the reports of Philipsburg papers
are to be relied upon there has pct been
a political gathering in that place since
the PATTISON party was there a. quarter |
of a century since, that compared either
in size or enthusiasm to the greeting the
RYAN party received there last Friday
night.
—Mr. McCorMICK’S Harrisburg Patriot
is excited because a Republican presided
at the RYAN meeting in Houtzdale. Why
worry over little things like that, dear
Patriot, when fully half the people who
went to make up the crowd of two hun-
dred that greeted your pet on the occa-
sion of his visit here were Republicans
and they looked so big to your own re-
porter that he had them swelled to a
crowd of five thousand when you told of
it in your columns next day.
—The Johnstown Democrat is the first
and, we believe, the only Democratic
paper in Pennsylvania to doubt the mo-
tives or wisdom of President WILSON’S
acts. Two of its leading editorials on
Tuesday arouse the suspicion that it is
getting ready to do what it has always
done: Knock if things go contrary to its
own peculiar ideas. And this in the face
of the fact that it is urging everyone to
vote for PALMER and MCCORMICK as the
only way of supporting the President.
Consistency, thou art a jewel, sure
enough.
—Dr. Dixon's weekly health letter to
the public advises everyone to drink at
feast two quarts of cool, pure water every
day and laysstress on the peculiar benefit
to the system if at least a pint is taken
immediately ‘after arising in the morning.
It is all very beautiful if everyone under-
stood why it is done. But the average
fellow who would let his wife see him
gulping down an entire pint of water
‘every morning might as well make up
his mind that he will never persuade her
to believe that he is doing it - for health’s
sake and not for “hot coppers.”
— A suggestion comes to us from Bur- |
gess BLANCHARD'S proclamation concern-
ing clean up week. ' His very competent
press agent, who-ever he or she may be,
concludes a most trenchant and sensible
call upon the citizens cf Bellefonte to
clean up everywhere with the following:
“Let us make Bellefonte spick and span
and earn the right to the title, Pennsyl-
vania’s cleanest town.” The prestige
Bellefonte has held as the home of Gov-
ernors and politicians is waning. We
seem to be without young men of prom-
ise to hold the early reputation gained
for our town by those whose names be-
came State and Nation wide in political
and governmental affairs. If we no long-
er have ambitions in that direction every
class of citizen can contribute to the
proposal to keep Bellefonte’s fair name
foremost among the towns of the State
by rallying to this call of the Burgess to
make it the cleanest town in Pennsyl-
vania. /
STATE RIGHTS AN
D FEDERAL UNION.
VOL. 59.
BELLEFONTE, PA...
Cameron Methods in
Party.
the Democratic
“The reorganization wing of the Demo- |
cratic party has about completed the slate
for the Senate and House, according to
the Harrisburg correspondent of the
Philadelphia Public Ledger, an organ of
of plutocracy and the PALMER-MCCOR-
MICK machine. “With very few excep-
tions,” the correspondent adds, “the re-
organizers will have candidates in nearly
every district.” But the failure of a Mc-
Connellsburg banker to take the nomi-
nation for Senator in the 36th district,
“is a fly in the ointment.” “It means a
loss to the PALMER-MCCORMICK ticket,”
continues the narrative. The banker “is
very strong in his district and a good
campaigner.” He is probably liberal
with his money, also, and “hence these
tears.”
It has not been customary for the
Democratic State Committee, sitting in
its headquarters at Harrisburg, to pick
candidates for Senator and Representa-
i tive in_the General Assembly for the
several constituencies. The Democratic
people have been in the habit of perform-
ing that little service for themselves.
But we have entered upon a new era in
politics. Three party recreants and
office brokers arrogate to themselves the
right to name all the candidates for the
party from Governor down to precinct
assessor and the citizen who dares to
remonstrate is denounced as a bi-partisan
pirate if not something worse. And the
servile and sordid place-hunters tamely
submit to the infamy.
These conspirators have chosen a
political waif as the candidate of the
party for Congress in this district and
presumably we will be handed a slate
made in the same place for Representa-
tive in the Legislature and other offices
in due time. But we don’t believe that
the Democrats of Centre county and the
Twenty-first Congressional district will
submit to the indignity thus put upon
them. There are plenty of candidates
for the several appointments to be made
by the administration at Washington, but
few of them are willing to barter their
manhood for “a mess of pottage.” Centre
county Democrats were not brought up
in the Cameron school and will not read-
ily embrace the Cameron methods.
~——Of course there will be plenty of
people who will insist that a war with
Mexico should be one of subjugation but
there is a tradition that some people
would steal a hot stove if the opportunity
offered.
The Mexican Situation.
The President’s message to Congress
on the Mexican situation is characteris-
tic. It is a clear, cogent and conserva-
tive statement of a condition which men-
aces but didn’t necessarily mean war
with our adjacent neighbers. Obviously
HUERTA wants war, not because it prom-
ises victory over American forces, but
for the reason that it might avert his im-
pending defeat at the hands of Mexican
rebels. There would be no humiliation
in an unsuccessful encounter with the
forces of the United States. There would
be both humiliation and disaster in a de-
feat in an encounter with the band of
brigands under command of and affiliated
with VILLA.
Besides there is a remote prospect that
war with the United States would bring
all the elements of Mexico into unison
and in the last analysis elevate HUERTA
to the Presidency after a fair and legiti-
mate contest. Obviously he is'a man of
vast force. There is something more
than cunning in his manipulation of the
meager resources he has been able to
control. A man of small calibre would
have floundered long ago. Possibly he
realizes now that the end of his period is
near. But he has kept up appearances
through a long continued course of ad-
versity and ends it with bold bluff that
challenges attention even though it be
mixed with contempt. - i
But President WILSON may be depend-
ed upon to meet every exigency as it
arises. He has managed this Mexican
problem with masterful skill from the
beginning and is not likely to slip at the
crucial moment. In 1898 President Mc-
KINLEY . was deceived and deluded with
the grave consequences that are familiar
to every thoughtful citizen. The jingoes
and the grafters will try to put a similar
trick over upon President WILSON but
we confidently believe they will fail. He
is too firmly entrenched in patriotism to
be beguiled and too strong in intellect to
be fooled. His message to Congress
shows that he is moving along safe lines
and therein lies security.
——T1t is said that WILSON BAILEY, offi-
cial “macer” of postmasters for the
Democratic State committee, wears a pe-
rennial‘and persuasive smile... But wher-
ever he goes he leaves sadness in his
John Bright and William B. Wilson.
urday Evening Post, declares that if it
“were going to chisel a monument to
Democracy probably we should choose
for the subject JOHN BRIGHT heroically
refusing to don court dress in order to
be presented to Queen Victoria when he
became a cabinet member.” Mr. BRIGHT
had always been a champion of the plain
people. When driven by political exigen-
cies he was invited to a seat in the cabi-
net the nabobs expected and believed
of life and become a courtier But he
disappointed them. He continued to live
the life to which he was accustomed and’
through which he had made his way to a
well earned distinction.
WiLLiam B. WiLsoN, Secretary of
Labor in the cabinet of President WIL-
| SON, began life as a coal miner and made
his way by well directed effort to his
present high office. Thus far his record
is much like that of JOHN BRIGHT. But
having reached the summit of his ex-
‘pectations, he adopted a different course.
He has not only assumed the habits and
manners of the courtiers but has gone
beyond most of them. He is the only
member of the present cabinet who en-
joys the luxury of a government owned
automobile for private use. The others
are content to do without automobiles or
provide them from their personal purses:
But Mr. WILSON, the labor agitator, uses
a government machine.
And this is the man who has under-
taken to tell the people of Pennsylvania
who they shall nominate andfelect for
Governor and Senator in Congress. He
has the assurance to appear before the
workingmen of the State and tell them
from the high station he occupies what
kind of officials should direct the affairs
in the low level they are compelled to
remain in. He is like JOHN BRIGHT only
in physical life. In mental structure he
more resembles the demagogue whom
our esteemed contemporary describes as
one of a type of plain persons who, “upon
winning a position of importance, has
immediately tried to become a fancy
person.” He is a poor teacher and a.
bad guide. wo
——OQur friend, the Fourth Assistant
Postmaster General, Mr. JAMES I. BLAKES-
LIE—only a week or so ago authorized the
announcement that he had contributed
$600 to the kickers and scrappers depart-
ment of the State Democracy, to aid it in
carrying the primary election. As Mr.
BLAKESLIE has always been recognized as
a rather tight-wad when it comes to a
matter of politics, the general wonder
has since been, if that Schuylkill post-
master whom he has been keeping in of-
fice so long, after he was ordered to be
kicked out, had any hand in helping to
raise the boasted,and certainly unexpected
contribution.
Action of Two Parties.
On the 20th day of April, 1898, President
MCKINLEY sent a special message to Con-
gress calling attention to the unfortunate
condition of affairs in Cuba and request-
ing authority to meet any emergencies
which might arise in consequence. The
disaster to the Maine had stirred the
patriotism of the country from centre to
circumference and the air was burdened
with resentment. The message recited
the facts and indicated the results. The
response of Congress was as unanimous
as it was prompt. Not a single voice
was raised in opposition to the plans of
the administration. . Partisanship faded
away in the presence of danger, as snow
melts under a mid-summer Sun.
On the 20th of April, 1914, just sixteen
years later, President WILSON delivered
a special message to Congress of precisely
similar import. An insult had been put
upon our flag, an outrage upon the honor
and dignity of the country. But in the
incident there was an opportunity to
leader of the Republicans in the House
and the manager of that party in the
Senate raised an opposition which could
offer hope to no more than delay. It
served the purpose of encouraging
HUERTA and his semi-civilized adherents
and cost a few American lives, of course,
but it was as futile in retarding the
final result as itis puerile and unpatriotic.
Probably the Republicans want war
and that their opposition to the resolu-
tion conferring upon the President the
right to rebuke the homicidal usurper in
follow. But we hope such expectations will
he disappointed. We have no quarrel with
the Mexican people. There is no incli-
‘nation among right thinking citizens of
Mexico. What the President and people
of this country desire is the pacification
and prosperity of Mexico and that will
be accomplished under the beneficent
plans and. policies of President WILSON
wake.
and the Democrats in Congress.
Our esteemed contemporary, the Sat- |
that he would abandon his homely habits:
make a little political capital and the '
Mexico is based upon the hope that war
with its attendant horrors and graft will
the United States to conquer or subjugate '
Efficiency of the Navy.
The promptness with which the navy
‘responded to the emergency developed
‘by the Mexican situation the other day,
‘speaks volumes for the efficiency of our
‘naval organization. Of course the Sec-
retary of the Navy was away making
speeches somewhere but the Secretary of
the Navy hasn’t much to do, except in
an ornamental way, with the navy. The
Admirals and line officers down to mid-
shipmen, and the blue jackets, are the
strength of the navy and the recent
event proves a preparedness upon their
part that is highly creditable. No foe
could make much headway in the face of
such efficiency.
When it was determined to move a
large porportion of the ships to Mexican
waters Admiral BADGER was asked how
soon he could be ready. A fortnight
would have been a seasonable time, ac-
cording to expert authority of the high-
est order and a week would have indicat-
ed a fair measure of efficiency. Vast quan-
tities of materials are needed for a fleet
on such an expedition, and ships must
be in condition for long and arduous
service. But Admiral BADGER didn’t ask
for a fortnight: or a week for prepara-
tions. His immediate answer to the mes—
sage of inquiry was: “We shall be ready
in eighteen hours.” The country must
have thrilled with pride on reading this
evidence of efficiency.
An efficient navy is the surest guaran-
tee of safety. Efficiency is not determin-
ed by the number of ships, however.
With ten times the strength in the num-
ber of vessels and the calibre of guns
our navy would be inefficient if the bot-
toms of the ships were foul or the offi-
cers and men absent from their posts,
whether making speeches or dancing
tango at society centres. The readiness
to move a squadron of battleships within
a period of eighteen hours, is the certain
test. Happily Secretary of the Navy
DANIELS was within hailing distance by
telegraph and was able to reach Wash-
ington before the expiration of the time
fixed without cancelling his oratorical
engagement,
SHIRL Not the King Democrats Want.
If you will notice his announcements
you will observe that the McKean coun-
ty political-tom-tit, who is asking the
Democrats of this congressional district
to support him at the primaries, as a
“candidate for Representative in Con-
gress” gives nointimation of the political
beliefs or the political policies he would
represent if he would get there. Possibly
this is because he does not know what
his political beliefs are, or probably its
because he has none, or it may be for
the reason that he is aware of the fact
that no Democrat of ordinary intelli-
gence would place any trust in any decla-
ration he might make, about his political
beliefs or purposes, after his betrayal of
the party and his voting against his
party’s nominee—the Hon. J. C. MEYER—
at the organization of the Legislature of
1912. But read his announcements. You
will find them in all the Democratic
papers of the district, except this one
and, you find that in any of them he
even pretends to be a Democrat, or if
elected expects to act with the Demo-
cratic party, the writer of this will “eat
the greaser,” and in addition give his
announcement free insertion in these
columns. :
~—And now the wonder with morbidly
curious and overly suspicious persons is,
if the $600 that Fourth Assistant Post-
master General —JAMES I. BLAKESLIE re-
ported as contributing to the PALMER-
McCoRrmMmICK primary campaign fund has
any connection with the hold-over Re-
county that Congressman LEE has raised
the rookery about?
——We can hardly credit the reports
of activities in Washington within the
past ten days. Mr. A. MITCHELL PALMER
has not been at the seat of government
during that period and it can easily be
proved by himself that he directs all the
movements of the administration.
| ——Probably Mr. McNally,of Pittsburg,
will now understand that he is not want-
ed in the diplomatic service of the United
States. Two adverse votes of the United
States Senate ought to be equal to the
falling wall of a brick house as a medium
of conveying a hint.
——Billy Sunday got $22,000 as the re-
sult of his seven week's campaign at
Scranton. Bill works but six days a
week and at that rate he received an av-
erage of $524 a day, or $21.83 an hour.
——Senator Penrose will be in Belle-
fonte along about May 14th or 15th, and
will make a speech here in the interest
of his candidacy to succeed. himself as
United States Senator. :
| —The best Job Work done here.
APRIL 24, 1914.
publican postmaster down in Schuylkill |.
NO. 17.
! Lodge’s Great Service.
! From the Boston Herald.
| Senator Lodge in his remarkable speech
on the Panama tolls issue: brought out
jone point of fundamental importance
| with a force with which it has never be-
| fore been stated; and the effect of his
i statement should be profound. It is
| that every one of the three American
diplomats who had to do with the negotia-
, tion of the Hay-Pauncefote treaty “pro-
; ceeded on the clear understanding that
: there was to be no discrimination in the
| tolls imposed as between the vessels of
| any nation, including the vessels of the
| United States.”
It is well known that Mr. Cheate, one
of the three American negotiators, took
the view recognized by Senator Lodge,
for he has repeatedly said so with sharp
emphasis during the last year and de-
clared it preposterous to assume that any
of the negotiators, American or English,
with the views of all of whom he was
fully tamiliar, could have entertained any
other idea. Mr. Lodge, in his speech in
the Senate, refers to the direct testimony
of Henry White, who first laid before the
British government the desire of the
United States to enter into the nego-
tiations, that he and Lord Salisbury
understood that the treaty contemplated
“equality of tolls imposed upon all ves-
sels, including those of the United States.”
But most impressive, and it would appear
absolutely conclusive, as to the real ‘in-
tention of the treaty, is what Mr. Lodge
says concerning Mr. Hay, who was the
Secretary of State who proposed and per-
sonally drafted the treaty. “I know,”
says Mr. Lodge, “that Mr. Hay’s view
was the same as that of Mr. Choate and
Mr. White.” :
This is remarkable testimony. It seems
extraordinary that it should: not have
been massed in this cumulative way be-
fore; but Senator Lodge has rendered a
noteworthy and decisive service in thus
bringing these momentous facts together
as he does. No one will venture to go
behind them. There can no longer be
any doubt as to the purpose of the states-
men who drew the Hay-Pauncefote
treaty; and if the exemption clause is
not repealed, it will be because there are
still men in the American Senate who are
willing to repudiate treaty stipulations
made by the ablest of men, who at least
believed that they said what they meant,
as they meant what they said.
Hard on the Jingoes.
From the Johnstown Democrat, ~
Just how Mr. Hearst felt when the
news reached him, who shall say?
’ VE Dee y «il
ere we were right on the
of war.
A great battleship fleet was hurrying
under full steam to the southward.
Troops were being mobilized for instant
descent upon the Mexican border.
Secretary Daniels and Secretary Gar-
rison were both wearing ominous looks
and war correspondents were making
ready with reams of stirring “copy.”
Every jingo in the land was a-tiptoe.
Jingo journalism was never in finer fettle.
We were just about to have war enough
to go around.
When—
Huerta agreed to salute the flag!
Was there ever since time begun a
swifter descent from the peaks of glory
into the valley of disgust?
Were ever fire-eaters set down to a
coider dish of disappointment?
Has history ever recorded a contre-
temps more shocking to the sensibilities
of the Hearsts and the Hobsons and the
Mondells?
~ Could jingoism have been called upon
to swallow a bitterer dose of pink tea
mollycoddleism?
It is indeed a moving tale. The drop
from the sublime to the ridiculous was
truly heart-rending from the stand-point
of men of blood and iron like Mr. Hearst
and Mr. Hobson.
But there is this consoling reflection.
We still have the battleships. We still
have our jingo newspapers. We still have
the Army and Navy league. We still
have swashbucklers in and out of Con-
‘gress. And working all in harmony it
should be possible for them sooner or
later to stir up a bunch of real trouble
somewhere, with Mexico perhaps, with
Japan preferably, with Germany or Eng-
land, if pretext can be found.
‘verge
Attempt to Kill Mitchell.
From the Harrisburg Patriot.
The serious wounding of Corporation
Counsel Polk, of the corporation of the
city of New York, appears to have no
political significance but to have been the
act of a hare-brained old man who ought
not to have been at large.
"The crime like the attempt on the life
of Mayor Gaynor nearly five years ago,
and the shooting of Colonel Roosevelt in
‘Milwaukee nearly three years later, was
without any reasonable motive, but it
shows the danger of permitting cranks to
be at large. While they are at liberty it
is impossible to foresee or guard against
their mad acts.
While giving thanks that Mr. Mitchell
escaped, the people will pray for the
.speedy recovery of Mr. Polk who received
the bullet intended for the Mayor.
——Arrangements are now under way
to organize the Bellefonte Board of Trade
into a chartered organization, and when
this is done the old ball field which was
purchased as a site for the proposed
Bellefonte Automobile company, and
which when that proposition fell through
‘was deeded back to Charles M. McCur-
dy, as treasurer of the Board of Trade,
will be transferred to the latter organi-
zation. The latter will probably hold it
as an available manufacturing site and
pending such disposal lease it for shows
or any other purpose for which it may
be wanted. ;
SPAWLS FROM THE KEYSTONE.
—
—A largedoe was found dead in the vicinity of
the lower reservoir of the Osceola Water compa-
ny, in the mountains near Osceola, one day last
week. The animal had been chased by dogs and
fell over an embankment, breaking its neck.
—Mrs. Barbara Elwood, the oldest resident of
Punxsutawney and of Jefferson county, died last
Saturday morning in the 98th year of her age.
She was born in Huntingdon county March 6,
1817, and was the daughter of David Burkett.
—The daring bandit continues to break into
hardware stores for the purpose of accumu-
lating arms and ammunition. Last Sunday
morning he smashed the window of such a store
in Latrobe and when he left carried with him
eleven revolvers.
—In a quarrel at Aultman, Indiana county last
Friday night, Frank Carbute was shot through
the head and abdomen, dying almost imme-
diately, but not until he had critically wounded
his assailant, Veto Polmere, his brother-in-law.
who was the attacking party. :
—Jack Africa, the Huntingdon man who took
forty-five grains of bichloride of mercury a little
over a week ago, is said to be on the way to com-
plete recovery. The doctors and the hospital
people sweated the poison out of the fellow, thus
assisting the kidneys to reduce their load.
—Twenty sticks of dynamite with a lightéd
fuse attached were found in the new hall of the
"United Mine Workers of America at Iselin, In-
diana county, by the foreman of construction.
The building is nearing completion and the al-
most successful effort to wreck it is a mystery.
—The difference between the borough of Clear-
field and the Clearfield Water company concern-
ing the valuation of the latter to property have
‘been adjusted and each is to employ an expert,
the twe to make a report. The borough wishes
to take over the water plant and its owners have
been loth to sell.
—Joshua Foster, a farmer residing between
Summerville and Heathville, Clearfield county,
. was found dead by the road side one day last
week. He had been engaged in skidding log.
and one of the logs seems to have hit an obstruc-
tion and moved backward striking Foster on the
left temple, probably killing him instantly.
—Timothy Fox, an old man whose home was
near Gearhartville, isin the Philipsburg hospital,
suffering from a self-infiicted wound, made by a
revolver, the man seeking to end his life which
had become burdensame. The ball entered his
left side, passing through his chest and lungs,
narrowly missing his heart and passing out of
his back.
—Sometimes a loud voice in gentlé woman is
‘an advantage. For instance, Mrs. Abe Staiman,
of Williamsport, discovered that her house was
on fire the other morning. Running to the front
door she yelled “fire” in tones which reached the
ears of her husband who was inquiring for rags a
square away. He ran home and extinguished
the incipient conflagration.
—Miss Phoebe C. Dietz, who for the past seven
years has been stamp deputy at the internal rev-
enue branch office in Lock Haven, has been noti-
fied by Internal Revenue Collector Kirkendall,
that Scott D. Currin, editor of the Sugar Valley
Journal, Loganton, has been appointed her suc-
cessor and will take charge May 15. A fine spec-
imen of devotion to civil service reform.
—James A. Rishel, of Johnstown, in court at
Ebensburg on Monday brought suit for $5,000
against the Pennsylvania Railroad company as
damages for injuries sustained in a collision be-
tween two trains at Tyrone July 30 last. The
suit is the outcome of a failure to arrive at a set-
tlement after several conferences between Mr.
Rishel and representatives of the railroad com-
pany.
—A new outbreak of smallpox has been report-
' ed to County Medical Inspector C. P. Large, of
merset county, as the result of the discovery
‘of thireefiew cases at Boynton, a small town near
Meyersdale. The latest persons to be stricken
are Thomas Gray, Sr., and his son, Thomas
Gray, Jr., and Abram Ross. Recently the Bow-
‘| man home was quarantined for smallpox, and
the guards reported the new cases to the coun-
ty authorities.
—John Alden Shatzer, aged 20 years, is at the
Lewistown hospital in a critical condition from
shock and fall twenty feet from an electric light
pole. Shatzer was trimming lights on a high
power line at the Standard Steel works Monday
morning. On reaching the top of the pole he
grasped the cross arm and the current lifted him
from the cleats and threw him to the ground.
He was found later by yard employees and when
restored to consciousness stated that the heavy
rain had caused the pole to become charged, but
he had thought the current was turned off be-
fore he ascended the pole. He was badly burned.
—Silas Clark, aged 17 years, who with Melvin
Stryers escaped from the Huntingdon reforma-
tory at noon last Friday, was captured at Tates-
ville, Bedford county, Sunday afternoon. A con-
stable made the capture. He also had Stryers in
hand, but the latter broke free from his clutches,
took to the woods and has not been seen since.
There is a reward of $25 for Stryers’ arrest. He
is fair of complexion, slender in build, blue eyes,
dark chestnut hair, good teeth, stands 5 feet, 3
inches in his stocking feet and weighs 120 pounds.
He has two scars above his wrist bone, and is
scarred on the left cheek, one inch from tae nose.
—The coal under the Singer tract in Cone-
maugh township, Cambria county, located about
two miles east of Johnstown and consisting of 200
acres, was sold Monday to a syndicate of Johns-
town people headed by Charles H. Suppes, Jr.,
the consideration being $90,000. This price of
$450 an acre is believed to be the record one for
bituminous coal outside of the Connellsville field,
where the veins are much heavier and conse-
quently of greater value. It had been eagerly
sought by numerous investors, being the largest
body remaining intact in that section of the State
and lying in such a position that it can easily be
worked from a number of operations owned by
Johnstown people.
—Two men arein the cold embrace of death
and three men languish in the Clearfield jailasa
result of two more murders just committed in
Clearfield county. The first one took place at
Bell Ford, near Karthaus, late Saturday night.
Clayton Huston, a colored man, who was well
known about Clearfield, killed Dan Burfield, a
well known young telegraph operator, cutting
him most frightfully with a razor, and death fol-
lowing soon after. They were at a dance and
quarreled over a woman. Huston got away, but
| was brought down afterward by a boy who shot
him in the lungs with a revolver and taken to
jail Sunday evening. He may die. The second
murder was among Italians on the West Side at
Clearfield and occurred Sunday afternoon at two
o'clock. :
—Judge Singleton Bell is authority for the
statement that the most complexing legal prob-
lem that has come up for him to solve since he
went on the bench is that of Keeler versus the
Commonwealth. It will be remembered the
Clearfield county commissioners offered a re-
ward for John O. Keeler, who shot and killed
Joseph Roessner, the Clearfield brewer, Keeler
having since been hung for the crime. Keeler
wandered around in the ‘woods for a few days
and returned to his home at Clearfield. His wife,
according to her statement, induced him to sur-
render to Sheriff Woolridge. Keeler telephoned
to the sheriff to come, and after that official fail-
ed to appear, went to the jail and surrendered .
himself. Mrs. Keeler claims that she is entitled
to the reward offered because she induced her
husband to surrender: himself. Judge Bell says
there are some complicated legal questions and
referred to it as the toughest proposition .he had
yet been called upon to solve.