Demorealic; atdpn
BY P. GRAY MEEK.
SE ——
INK SLINGS.
; —It was about time for a January
thaw.
—Are you still sticking to that New
Year’s resolution.
* —The Legislature is in session again.
God save the Commonwealth!
—It is a pretty good bet that BIGELOW
won’t stay in Harrisburg as long as
BRUMBAUGH will.
© —Of course Gov. COLQUITT, of Texas,
can say what he pleases about President
WILSON, but nobody has to believe it.
—With wheat at a dollar and a quarter
all the farmers are happy but those who
sold theirs at a dollar and a dollar ten.
—A bee will take a hundred drinks
before it gets a load on. Nobody would
want to be a bee because it has to wait
too long for results.
—The Japanese soldiers are said to be
able to keep warm in shirts made of
paper. Possibly it is the paper on which
The Fireside Companion is printed.
—BILLY SUNDAY’S war on sin in Phil-
adelphia has already chased the war they
are having on the other side of the pond
to the inside pages of the Quaker city
papers.
—German scientists declare that wom-
en can talk more than men and with
less fatigue because their throats are so
much smaller. So that accounts for it,
does it? :
+ —Ground-hog day will be here before
you know it and when it does come let
us hope that the little fellow, himself,
will have had a sufficiency of real winter
weather.
. —Chicago objects to the Christian
Endeavorers using a pig’s head as their
emblem when they rally in that city next
June. Chicago is getting too asthetic.
What if they had proposed a big foot, a
wind-bag or a bath house.
—The county auditors are at work on
the public accounts, and about the mid-
dle of March the taxpayers can look
for a statement showing another big de-
crease in the county debt and probably
another reduction in the tax millage.
—An Ohio farmer is reported as hav-
ing successfully tried putting stilts on
his chickens to keep them from picking
his garden products. The plan is said
to have worked all right, but the hens
stopped laying because they couldn’t sit
down. :
—Who can tell? GIF. PINCHOT may be
running for something in Pennsylvania
again. It has just been announced that
his share of his ‘mother’s estate is "$537,-
000 and as long as there is that much of
the election “persuader” in sight there
will certainly be clamors for GIF.
—With the Pennsylvania Railroad
placing the largest order for rails that if
has given in ten years and the B. & O.
ordering fifteen hundred cars at one
crack there are some signs, at least, that
1915 is starting off in a promising man-
ner.
—The sheriff of Cambria county feeds
his prisoners at a cost of seven and six-
tenths cents a day per capita. If he
keeps this up long he had better take
the precaution of setting the bars in
their cells closer together or they will soon
be lean enough to run in and out at will
between them.
—The rain that set in on Wednesday
morning was a God-send to many farm-
ers who have been hauling water since
early in the fall. While little of it will
find its way into the ground to replenish
the wells and springs the man who had
taken the precaution to have his spout-
ing in good shape profited wonderfully.
—There wasn’t much to the campaign
of WILSON, BALDWIN and HAPGoOD for
Speaker of the House after the Governor-
elect announced for AMBLER. Dr.
BRUMBAUGH announced on the stump last
fall: “I will know no boss.” The start
off on the Speakership makes it look
very much as if he is not real well ac-
quainted with himself.
—The latest rumor from Harrisburg
is to the effect that Governor-elect BRUM-
BAUGH will ask the Legislature to create
a commission to take care of the high-
way department. In the event of the
proposal being enacted into law BIGELOW
will be out and three others will be
named on tke commission. That will
put six hands in the bag instead . of only
two.
—The coasting accident that happened
in Bellefonte on Monday night was the
worst in the history of a sport that Belle-
fonte offers unusual opportunities to en-
joy. When its cause is thoroughly sifted
it will probably be found to have been
unavoidable unless the coasters, them-
selves, are held for not having had a
lookout at the intersecting streets. In
the old days, when all of the hills were
thronged at night with grown-ups as
well as young folks, and the cumbersone
“doxie” was in its hey day, always there
was some one delegated to stand at
every intersecting street to warn the
coasters or stop approaching vehicles
when a load was in flight down the hill.
The “cutter” type of sled has eliminated
much of the danger because it is so
sensitive of control, but on the other
hand the advent of the automobile has
more than counteracted this because of
its rapid movements and frequent use
on the streets.
his Secretary,
be Secretary of the Board of Public !
Utilities, who was unanimously confirmed |
STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION.
“VOL. 60. BELLEFONTE, PA. JANUARY 8,1915. NO. =.
Providing for Governors Secretaries. © Brumbaugws Buttiog In. || Tent legates mm Fate, Buying Postofices.
The nomination of WALTER H. GAITH- |
ER, Secretary of the Governor, to the
important office of member of the Board
of Public Utilities, has provoked a good
deal of criticism throughout the State.
The office is one of vast influence upon
the affairs of the Commonwealth. The
salary was fixed upon a high basis with
the view of alluring the ablest men to
the service.
high either in experience or ability. His
public life has been limited to eight.
years in the personal service of Mr.
TENER as his Secretary. While in Wash-
ington he was paid fifteen hundred dol-
lars a year. Since he has been in Har-
risburg his compensation was increased
from $3000 to $5000 a year. The salary
of a commissioner on the Board of Pub-
lic Utilities will be $10,000 a year.
It has become a custom of retiring
Governors to provide snug places for
their Secretaries. The duties of the
office of Secretary are onerous and pecul-
iar. A story told by one who served
“befo’ the war,” illustrates the point.
“Jim,” said a friend who noticed an im-
provement in his apparel, “what are you ; House of Representatives. As the dis- |
doing now?” * “I am private Secretary to
the Governor,” was the reply.
Mr. GAITHER is not rated
Republican members of the Legislature
who favored other candidates for Speak-
er have just cause of complaint against
the Governor elect for taking part in the
contest in favor of Mr. AMBLER. Some
of the other candidates had expended
much time and labor in soliciting sup-
port. One of them, Mr. BALDWIN, of
Delaware county, had made a canvass of
the State and secured the personal
pledges of enough, or nearly a sufficient
number of members, to nominate him.
But the declaration of Dr. BRUMBAUGH
in favor of his antagonist, the candidate
; of the VAREs, has upset all his expecta-
, tions. Promises made in good faith are
, broken for personal advantage in the
distribution of spoils.
Under our system of government the
| legislative and executive departments |
are separate and distinct and the en-
, croachment of one upon the prerogatives
of the other is forbidden. It has been
(alleged, and we believe accurately, that
i no Governor or Governor-elect has hith-
| erto participated, directly or indirectly,
lin a contest for the speakership of the
| pensor of the patronage of his office his
The UNDERWOOD law may not be per-
fect, scientifically, and between the en-
acting clause and the end there may be
imperfections of other kinds. But it is
easily the best piece of tariff legislation
ever enacted by the Congress of the
United States and is entitled to a fair
test of its merits. Thus far it has not
had that test. Within a few days of
its approval the European war, which
Dun’s Review declares was the most
“overwhelming convulsion of the mar.
ket” which has occurred “since the be
ginning of the modern system of credits
in the middle of the seventeenth cen-
tury,” begun, and tariff laws and all
other commercial systems were literally
smashed into fragments.
When commercial conditions have ad-
justed themselves and the provisions of
the UNDERWOOD law are put in operation
whatever defects there are in the meas-
ure will reveal themselves and may be
corrected. Possibly the tax rate upon
. Some common article of commerce may
| not be exactly right or entirely just to
'the buyer or seller. More likely the
schedule on articles of little use and in-
| frequent purchase will not be just what
“What preference operates as a command upon it ought to be. Butone after another of
are the duties of the private Secretary | the members and his power of control these defects in the law can be corrected
to the Governor?” continued his inquisi-
tive friend. “Well,” said Jim, “I write
his messages and black his boots.”
ROOSEVELT while President imposed
another duty upon his Secretary. He
made him assume responsibility for all
the blunders of the administration ard
do a good deal of the lying. Recent
Governors of Pennsylvania have follow-
ed that example.
Like most of the bad customs now in
vogue in this State with respect to this
matter, PENNYPACKER introduced the
practice of providing an office for his Sec-
retary. . Just before the expiration of his
term he nominated BROMLEY WHARTON
to be Secretary of the Board of Public
Charities and Mr. WHARTON being both
popular and fit, was unanimously con-
firmed: When Governor STUART'S term
was drawing to a_close he nominated
¢ ARCHIBALD B. MILLER to
for the same sufficient reason. But these
were offices of secretarial size and sal-
ary. TENER raises his Secretary to the
highest plane and puts him in an office
intended for the ablest men. But his
Secretary must have had an awful job.
—1It may be set down as a certainty
that Speaker CHAMP CLARK has neither
part in nor sympathy with the move
ment to run him for the Presidential
nomination against WooDROW WILSON.
Governor Tener’s Last Message.
The last message of Governor TENER
was just such a paper as the president of
a corporation might submit to the stock-
holders at the annual meeting. It gives
a statement of the assets and obligations
in a practical way and recites the opera-
tions of each départment of the business
during the year. That the Governor ex-
presses pride in the achievements of his
administration was to be expected. Most
men are satisfied with their own work as
administrators and some good has been
accomplished within the period of four
years. But his praise of the Highway
Department will not incline public senti-
ment to confidence in his judgment.
Governor TENER will hardly be classed
among the illustrious chief magistrates
of Pennsylvania. He has allowed things
to drift along in the ruts made by his
predecessors and the best that can be
said of his service is that it was free
from scandal. Coming“to the office at a
time when the public mind was alert to
criticism he inaugurated few reforms
and permitted no outrages. Considering
that his nomination was a reward for
personal service rather than a recom-
pense for civic achievement, probably
there is no just ground for complaint
that little improvement in public life fol-
lowed his inauguration.
In his last message Governor TENER
wisely left the matter of recommenda-
tions to his successor. As ithe first act
of the Senate was to “table” all his re-
cess appointments, he may have had a
“hunch” that his advice would receive
little attention. But BRUMBAUGH. is bet.
ter fitted to discuss such questions any-
way and will be compelled to execute the
laws whether they be good or bad. But
the retiring Governor is entirely correct
in his view that there is little present
need for new legislation. We have laws
in abundance and ‘a movement in the
direction of improving some of them and
abolishing others would be welcomed by
the people of the State.
——One source of comfort lies in the
fact that within a short time Governor
TENER will be at liberty to devote all his
time to base ball.
| becomes absolute. This is an encroach-
| of Representatives.
exercising control of the Legislature by
the executive.
That Mr. AMBLER will make a capable
Speaker may be admitted. His legisla-
tive experience is ample and his capabil-
ity unquestioned. But the same can be
said of those who competed with him for
the honor. Mr. BALDWIN has had the
same length of service and has been
much more active in legislation. The
only reason Dr. BRUMBAUGH can give for
declaring his preference for AMBLER,
therefore, is that BALDWIN is not fit and
such an aspersion is likely to be resented
by the friends of the gentleman from
Delaware county. Aside from this mat-
ter, however, the interference by the
"ship of the House is a dangerous innova-
tion which may work evil.
discovered a movement in Mexico to
extend the term of the Presidency to six
weeks. It is to be hoped that the change
will not be made until a fitter man than
either of those recently elected has been
discovered.
Friendly but Firm Warning.
Having passed the scrutiny of Presi-
dent WILSON, the most accomplished
phrase maker in public life it is not sur-
prising that the protest of the American
government against British interference
with commerce among neutral nations
should be “firm but friendly.”
country wants war with nobody and is
United States will endure no unwarranted
commerce of the country and it was
eminently proper that the government of
Great Britain should be admonished of
the fact, through the proper sources, in
a protest couched in firm but friendly
Since the beginning of the European
war American ships have been frequent-
ly overhauled and searched on the high
seas and in some cases taken into British
ports and detained to the injury of
perishable cargoes. Under the provisions
of international law this practice is al-
lowable where there are ample grounds
traband or are destined to belligerent
ports. But in some cases the liberty was
usurped where such grounds for sus-
picion were entirely absent and the pro-
test was against such incidents. It is
gratifying to learn that the British gov-
ernment is rikely to accept the warning
in the spirit expressed by its language
and correct the evil of which it com-
plains.
For more than a century the relations
between the United States and Great
Britain have been not only amicable but
turb this prolonged era of peace at a
time when so large a part of the world
isinvolved in war. But Great Britain is
inclined to arrogance and the people of
the United States will not patiently sub-
mit to ‘wanton injury no matter whence
it comes or who is responsible for it. Our
friends can be as funny as they like and
enjoy themselves to the full measure of
their inclinations but they must not get
gay or rough house matters too strong.
The President's warning was simply a
wholesome admonition along these lines.
————r————_——
——As a matter of fact there is no
more reason why the government should
guarantee a profit to one man than to
another.
——An esteemed contemporary has
This |
especially averse to armed conflict with i
Great Britain. But the people of the!
and mischievous interference with the
for suspicion that the cargoes are con- |
friendly. It would be a calamity to dis- |
in separate bills without materially dis-
| ment upon the prerogatives of the House ' turbing the frame work of the law and
It is asserting and certainly without destroying public con- If they are untrue,
fidence and wrecking industrial prosper-
lity.
But the agitators, the beneficiaries of
| special privilege and the rampant and
roystering tariff-probists are not satisfied
with this palpably plain policy. They
, want a tariff commission made up of
"pretended tariff experts who are out of
jobs and need money. Such a commis-
sion would spend a million dollars or
more every year and report to Congress
a lot of absurdities which nobody except
themselves could understand and which
| even they could not explain. These
scientists have been pensioners upon the
‘industrious life of the country for years
and their habits and vices are expensive.
the “‘captains of industry” the plan is to
{ shift them upon the public.
i =
——Colonel ROOSEVELT may lecture if
he likes, of course, but if he sets the ex-
ample of giving the proceeds of his work
: to charity he will get himself disliked by
: certain Chautauqua gentlemen who
make other uses of the “gate receipts.”
i rene ees
i —President TAFT may accept the
| presidency of a Western college but if
| he does it will be with a reservation. If
| he should be called to the Presidency of
| the United States it would be just impos-
i sible for him to decline.
| ——The Kaiser sent New Year greet-
“ings to the President and the President
reciprocated. But as it was a strictly
personal exchange of courtesies even
Secretary Daniels wasn’t shocked.
——Among the evils which are disap-
pearing at this time is COLE BLEASE,who
has been bobbing about in the chair of
| the Governor of South Carolina for three
or four years.
|
{ ——Under the present ruling of the
| State Livestock Sanitary Board a permit
| must be taken out for public sales of
| cattle, sheep or swine; and also for the
| removal of hay, straw or fodder into or
| State.
| 4th, the quarantine has been partially
'lifted in many of the counties of the
| State. Centre county has never been
| under quarantine but shipments of stock
jor feed from this county to within a
| quarantined district can be made only
lon a permit.
| ——The annual meeting of the Thresh-
| ermen and Farmers’ Protective Associa-
| tion of Centre county will be held in the
| court house in Bellefonte on Thursday,
January 14th, 1915, at 10 o'clock a. m.
| The State Legislature meets this month
| and business vital to every thresherman
{ will be considered at this session. It is
| therefore important that every farmer
and thresherman attend this meeting.
—Flocks of wild turkeys have re-
mountains to farm lands in quest of
something to eat. The deep and hard
frozen snow on the mountains prevents
| them from getting an ample supply of
feed and the birds are compelled to seek
some place where they can get some-
thing to eat. Wherever possible feed
should be put out for the turkeys.
——There was a general influx of State
College students Monday and Tuesday
for the opening of the College at noon
on Tuesday.
~Surely this has been some winter.
within any quarantined area in the |
Under an order dated January |
and every farmer who turns his feed |
mill and washing machine with power |
cently been seen in several places in
Centre county coming down off the
From the Altoona Times.
It has been repeatedly charged that
postoffices in Pennsylvania have been
placed upon the patronage counter and
sold to the highest bidders by covetous
leaders, and there has been no satisfac-
tory attempt to disprove these serious
allegations. : r
Senator Penrose charges that he has
affidavits to the effect that certain ap-
pointments as postmasters were sought
by Democrats who were ‘willing to pay
good round sums for the honor. In one
case, according to an affidavit, an aspirant
for an. upstate postmastership offered to
‘pay to a rival aspirant two thousand dol-
lars if he would withdraw, leaving the
coast clear.
has no knowledge . of such “transactions,
and he would sternly rebuke an effort
on the part of faithless leaders to bring
‘his administration into disrepute. Bt
his friendship for the individuals whose
integrity has been impugned should not
restrain him from demanding the most
rigid investigation of charges which have
been bruited about for several months.
.. If any man or set.of men have been
illegally trafficking in public office, they
should be exposed to the public, that
they may suffer the just contempt of
honest Democrats as well as men of all
parties. The Democracy does not con-
done such offences, and it is unfortunate
that there are a few grasping, greedy
leaders who are willing to sacrifice the
party’s interests to their own cupidity.
Congressman Palmer loudly protests
| that such charges are inspired by par-
tisanism, but this is not sufficient answer.
an investigation would
: establish the fact, to the advantage of
| the Democracy and the discomfiture of
{its detractors. On the other hand, if
| they were proven true, the guilty persons
i could be removed from the party coun-
‘sels and every honest man would re-
| spect the Democracy for purging its
| ranks of the unfit and unclean.
| If Senator Penrose is playing politics —
{ mean, dirty politics—he should be ex-
posed. It is not enough that he is ac-
| cused of engaging in the same business
that he now attributes to Democratic
| leaders. What concerns Democrats, iis
‘that he has made his charges in the
| Senate, and they. should not pass un-
| noticed. : J
§ Fda
| Britain’s Sane Attitude Toward Note.
From the Harrisburg Star-Independent.
= = : : ¢ inn. Jane to! The attitude assumed not only by the |
Governor in the contest for the Speaker... No# that they are no. longer of use to! press of Great Britain aig the Uy by the
that nation, but also by the British gov-
| ernment toward the protest of the Unit-
ed States concerning delays to American
commerce due to search of vessels by the
British fleet, removes all cause for un-
easiness lest any permanent misunder-
standing can result from the ‘situation
brought about by President Wilson’s firm
and well-timed action.
| All the British appear to be giving that
serious consideration to America’s de-
mand which it merits. They are not
belittling the importance of the protest
' either from the British or the American
point of view. They, both officially and
unofficially, are exhibiting a disposition
to give due and fair consideration to the
| representations of this government and,
what is best of all, are manifesting no
resentment at the stand taken by this
‘country in its candid yet friendly note.
| One of the most encouraging things
, about the attitude being manifested by
. Great Britain is that the British govern-
| ment shows no disposition to quibble
i over technicalities. It has been contend-
ed that under the terms of The Hague
agreement Great Britain would be en-
titled to take one year in determining
her course with regard to the protest,
but it is evident that the British War
Office, recognizing that such a delay
| would result in prolonging the conditions
complained of to the continued detri-
ment of American shipping interests, has
no intention of exercising its technical
, right under international law to postpone
adjustment of America’s grievance for
such an unnecessarily long period.
re ei——— ae
On the Job.
From the Philadelphia Evening Ledger.
The American protest to Great Britain
is honey dripping from the honeycomb.
It is saturated with the milk of human
| kindness. There is the scent of Nebraska
prairies about it. One can almost see
the peaceful cows chewing the cud under
the blooming trees by the side of. the
irrigation ditch. If Lloyds could get 15
shillings per cent. as a premium for in-
surance against war on the basis of that
‘ kind of document, it is apparent that
taking candy from children is not a lost
art. Hail, triumphant Bryanism! Every
neutral merchantman on the high seas
will dip its colors and fire a Presidential
salute with the jib booms.
Covered Ground in First Statement.
From the Washington Post.
Although nothing has been heard from
the German crown prince for some time,
he probably has nothing to add to his
‘earlier views on the essential stupidity
of the whole affair.
Yes, But Does T. R. Know It.
From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat.
“I know that Col. Roosevelt will not be
a candidate for President in 1916,” says
the chairman of the New York Progres-
sive party. That belief appears to be
quite widespread.
Should Change His Brand of Dope. |
From the New York World.
Gov. Colquitt of Texas prefaces his
tirade with the remark, “If I were Presi-
dent.” That is too severe a tax on
human imagination.
— ubscribe for the WATCHMAN.
President Wilson, we may be certain, |
J
i
SPAWLS FROM THE KEYSTONE.
—Less than 100 cattle were killed in Lycoming
County as a result of the foot and mouth disease.
—Somerset’s new motor fire truck has been
tested out to the satisfaction of the town council
and the fire department and has been formally
accepted. It cost $5,000.
—A young woman who was arrested for shop
lifting in Punxsutawney confessed that she had
stolen goods from three stores. Upon the return
of the stolen articles the woman was allowed to
go free.
—Joseph Johnson, aged 36 years, a resident of
DuBois, fell on an icy sidewalk and fractured a
leg. Less than three hours later he died. Phy-
sicians pronounced his unexpected death the re-
sult of shock. :
—Archibald McCurdy, aged 70 years, an in-
mate of the Indiana county home, ate a hearty
breakfast last Saturday morning, turned around,
gasped and fell'dead. The doctors said it was
heart disease. ;
—According to the Spirit, Punxsutawney has a
little Syyian woman who has been begging from
door to door for the purpose of supporting in
idleness four husky males. There are similar in-
stances in other towns. :
+ —William Shannon, aged 65 years, night fore-
man of the Williamsport: Gas company, was
found dead in bed when his wife went to rouse
him at the usual hour. It is believed that apo-
plexy caused his death. !
—The Galeton Stave and Heading company’s
mill, at Galeton, was set on fire while workmen
were thawing frozen pipes and destroyed, involv-
ing a loss of about $25,000 and throwing nearly
100 men out of employment.
.—Luigi Sciacca, an Italian shoemaker of Wil-
‘liamsport, aged 47 years, bade his wife and five
children good bye Saturday morning. and walk-
ing out on the Market street bridge jumped from
| a pier into an open space in the river and was
drowned. - - .
—After perpetrating a couple of robberies in
DuBois the other night, seventeen-year-old Jo-
'seph Capassi, was shot in the back and seriously
wounded by patrolman George Stahl, when he
refused to stop as ordered. He is in the hospital
in a critical condition. !
~The ‘authorities of Renovo really meant it
when they said that all gambling must end and
all gambling devices be put away. They picked
upasled load of the implements and have the
owners under bail for a determination of their
cases by the proper authorities.
~The big barns owned by George Spencer at
Indiana, were totally destroyed by fire the night
before they were to have been sold. All their
contents, including two calves went with them.
The horses and cattle were rescued. An incen-
diary is believed to have done the evil deed.
—Miss Catharine Jane Hinkle, aged 74 years, of
Williamsport, was found dead on a couch in the
apartment of William A. Kahle, stewart of the
Williamsport Wheel club, by her niece. Mrs.
Kahle. On October 13 last, Charles Carr, an in-
surance agent, was fatally stricken with heart
trouble while lying on the same couch. . :
—More than 1,000 men will return to work next
Monday morning with the resumption of ten hot
mills of the Shenango tin plant. Every depart-
ment of the tin plant will resume in full. An-
nouncement to that effect was made by Supt. D.
S.Pyle. Only 20 of the 30 mills of this plant
have been operating for several months,
—Lawrence Fitch, of West Johnsonburg, un-
doubtedly holds the record as a successful one-
armed hunter, in that section if not the State.
In ten days’ hunt'ng, during which he fired 62
shots, he brought down the following: Two
wild ducks, one bear, two wild cats, twenty-four
pheasants, one woodcock, nineteen rabbits, two
mink, one coon and one weasel. ~~ Heo
—Mrs. Nellie Daring, a widow with two small
children, has been living in a room on the sec-
ond floor of a Johnstown tenement. While she
was down stairs with another woman washing,
the older child got hold of an oil can and poured
the oilinto the stove. Burning oil fell on the
floor setting fire to the clothing of Josephine, the
younger child, aged seven months. She died the
next day.
—Mrs. Margaret McNerney, widow of the late
Martin McNerney, of Lock Haven, has sued E. J.
Bailey, contractor of the new Lock Haven High
school for damages as a result of her husband
being killed. Mr. McNerney was employed on
the third story of that structure last summer and
fell to the basement, his death resulting there-.
from. The case is scheduled for the January
term of court.
—B. F. Shontz, for fifteen years the Hunting-
don county agent of the Prudential Life Insur-
ance company, deserted his family and left for
the west, according to a letter mailed from Pe-
tersburg on Tuesday to his family in Hunting-
don. Shontz, it is said, had met with adversity.
He was several hundred dollars short in his ac-
counts with the Prudential company, which are
now being audited.
—Hunter P. Foulkrod, sergeant in the regular
army, and his brother, William B. Foulkrod, of
Sunbury, were attacked by thugs Saturday night,
their faces beaten to pulp and their skulls possi-
bly fractured. Their story was that there was a
commotion near their homes and that they went
out to see who it was that caused the trouble.
When they went to the place they were set upon
without cause and kicked around.
—Sunday was a memorable day in the home of
John B. Dial, of Jacobs Creek, Westmoreland
county. On that day Mr. Dial’s venerable moth-
er reached the age of 100 years. She was born
January 3, 1815, was the mother of seven chil.
dren, all of whom but two are dead, and has been
a widow for 65 years. She is the oldest resident
of Westmoreland county and attributes her long
life to a strong constitution and temperate living.
—Hearing some one working at their chicken
coop early Sunday morning, A. A. Johnson and
his son, C. E. Johnson, of Irwin, looked out and
saw a man at the door of the coop. The son
fired and killed the intruder who proved to be
Stanley Beroskey, of near Hahnstown. The man
was married less than two months ago to a six-
teen-year-old girl. Young Johnson was greatly
shocked, it is said, but not so much as Borosky’s
widow.
—George Hegedus, a driver, of Sharon, ison a
still hunt for the person who spread a report that
Hegedus was about to be executed for the mur-
der of his wife and three children. The first
known of the report was when inquiries were re-
ceived recently from Johnstown about a woman
and her three children having been murdered by
her husband. The inquiry was a puzzle in Sha-
ron, as nothing had been known of such a
tragedy.
—The deal by which the Boynton Coal compa-
ny attains ownership of the Christner farm near
Meyersdale has been closed and possession will
be given Aprill, 1916. The greater portion of
the coal in that section has been mined, but the
company will take at least a million tons from its
latest purchase, whicl involves an investment of
$10,000. The coal will be worked from the pres-
ent operations of the Boynton company, no new
openings being necessary.
' —The Presbyterian church at Mill Hall was
completely destroyed by fire at six o’clock Sun-
day morning. When discovered the edifice was
enveloped in flames, but the prompt and efficient
work of the recently organized fire company
saved the manse, which adjoins the burned
building. The church of this congregation was
swept away by the [flood of 1889 and: the burn-
ed church was erected two years later at a
cost of $7,000. There is an insurance of $2,500.