Bellefonte, Pa., April 2, 1915.
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ADDITIONAL LOCAL NEWS.
CELEBRATED GOLDEN WEDDING.—On
March 21st, 1865, George S. Kaup, of
Aaronsburg, a gallant soldier just re-
turned from service in the Civil war, and
Miss Joanna Stover, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Samuel Stover, of Rock Springs,
were united in marriage at Oak Hall by
Rev. Sechrist. Inasmuch as their fiftieth
wedding anniversary fell on Sunday
they decided to celebrate the event last
Saturday and a general invitation was
extended to their neighbors and friends
in Boalsburg and vicinity to join with
them in the festivities. The comfortable
home of Mr. and Mrs. Kaup in Boals-
burg was very tastefully decorated
throughout for the joyous occasion and
upwards of one hundred guests were
present during the day.
A nine course dinner was served to all
present and one of the features of this
elaborate spread was an immense wed-
ding cake, embellished with fifty tiny
American flags, which occupied the place
of honor in the centre of the table. The
dinner was prepared by Mr. and Mrs.
Kaup’s daughters while John Fisher, Mrs.
James Fry and Samuel Kaup assisted in
serving it. A number of after dinner
speeches were made, congratulating this
estimable couple on their long and suc-
cessful life together. Mr. and Mrs.
Kaup received a large number of beau-
tiful and costly remembrances on their
golden anniversary.
Mr. Kaup was born at Aaronsburg and
when quite young went to Stephenson
county, Ill., where he lived until the out-
break of the Civil war when he enlisted
and served through most of the four
years’ struggle, taking part in many
hard fought battles. Returning from the
war he located at his old home at Aarons-
burg but shortly after his marriage to
Miss Stover they moved to Lewistown.
Twelve years were spent in that place,
when they returned and located in Boals-
burg, their present home. Mr. and Mrs.
Kaup were the parents of six children,
four of whom survive as follows: Mrs.
John Fisher, of Bellefonte; Mrs. James
Fry, of Philadelphia; Samuel, of Altoona,
and Miss Hattie, at home.
Among the guests present were Rev.
and Mrs. J. I. Stonecypher, Mr. and Mrs.
R. B." Harrison, Prof. P."H." Meyer and
son Robert, Mr. and Mrs. Frank McFar-
lane, Dr. and Mrs. L.E. Kidder, Mrs. C.
E. Brown, Mr. and Mrs. John Jacobs,
Mrs. C. A. Fisher, Mr. and Mrs. George
Fisher, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Fisher, Mr.
and Mrs. John Fisher, Mr. and Mrs.
William Smeltzer, Miss Madie Gingerich,
Mr. and Mrs. James Fry, Samuel Kaup
and daughter, Jacob Fisher and Mrs. W.
H. Fry.
AND THE GROUNDHOG CAME OUT.
—Readers of the WATCHMAN will recall
an item in this paper, in the issue of
February 5th, regarding the pet ground-
hog of Mr. Charles Grubb, of Coleville.
Said groundhog went into hibernation
last fall when the first snow fell on
Thanksgiving day and Mr. Grubb and
his family decided to keep a close watch
on February 2nd—Candlemas ‘day—to
find out positively if the groundhog did
come out to view the weather conditions.
But this groundhog did not. In fact Mr.
Grubb and family were inclined to believe
that the animal was dead. Ever since
February 2nd a close watch has been
kept to see just when the groundhog
would come out and the vigilance of the
Grubb family was rewarded on Sunday
when Mr. Woodchuck crawled out of the
hole in the ground as unconcerned as if
he was just waking up from a noonday
nap. Thus for four months, or about
seventeen weeks, this little animal hi-
bernated underground, and so far as
known without a thing to eat or a thing
to drink. And it came out looking little
the worse for its long sleep. While it is
now naturally a little timid about re-
newing intimate association with the
Grubb family, it is not very wild and the
Grubbs have hopes of it becoming the
same kind of a pet this summer that it
was last. :
RUMBERGER—STINE.—A pretty but quiet
wedding was celebrated at the parsonage
of the United Brethren church on Tues-
day afternoon when Wilbur B. Rumberger
and Miss Jessie M. Stine, both of Half-
moon township, were united in marriage
by the pastor, Rev. A. B. Sprague. The
young couple spent the night in Bellefonte
at the Brockerhoff house, and on Wed-
nesday returned to Stormstown to receive
the congratulations of their many friends.
They will reside at Stormstown.
RUTHERFORD—AMMERMAN. —Emerson
E. Rutherford, of Altoona, and Miss Lera
Ammerman, of Unionville, this county,
were married in Cumberland, Md., on
Monday morning by a Methodist minis-
ter. They returned to Altoona the same
evening and were given a reception by
friends of both. The bridegroom is em-
ployed in the steel car plant of the Penn-
sylvenia railroad at Altoona and it is in
that city the young couple will make
their home.
stitute the PALMER control.
Our Weekly Summary of Legislative Activities.
[Continued from page 1, Col 5.]
The facts are that when that subject was a live issue
Senator Crow intervened in behalf of UMBEL and prevented his impeachment
during the legislative session of 1913.
The railroad trainmen presented their reasons for opposing the repeal of the
Full Crew law before the Railroad Committees of both Houses yesterday after-
noon and the incident was an epoch in legislative history. The local railroad em-
ployees to the number of nearly a thousand formed a procession and marched to
the place of meeting behind a brass band composed of railroad workers. The
House chamber was packed and JAMES SCARLET, the Danville lawyer, who prose-
cuted the capitol grafters and the former Attorney General, JouN C. BELL, of Phil-
adelphia, made the arguments and it is needless to say they were forceful. Refer. |
ring to the expense of the law Mr. SCARLET said “it would be far better to have
that money go for clothes, shoes and food for the trainmen’s families than into
the already bulging treasuries of the railroads.” At the close of the hearing
a petition containing 68,000 names, protesting against the repeal of the law was
presented to the committee. The bill will be reported out next week but the
present indications are that it will fail to pass. The politicians in control of leg-
islation would like to oblige the railroad corporations but they have a wholesome,
if not exactly a holy, fear of the consequences.
The Legislature has been very busy this week and has disposed of a good ‘|
deal of important business. Some of the work is wasted, of course, for many of |
the bills introduced are too bad to get through any Legislature and others too
good to get through this Legislature. For example a bill was introduced into the
Senate yesterday authorizing banks or other money lenders to collect five dollars
from each borrower to cover the expense of investigating the financial standing
of the borrower. The banks of the State are doing fairly well now, much better
than the borrowers, and no Legislature would add such a burden to the poor man.
On the other hand a State civil service bill was also introduced yesterday which
may get as far as a first reading in the committee but is not likely to go further.
Both Houses sat on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and the House of Represen-
tatives will be in session tomorrow, and
under the spur of necessity a big grist
can be ground out while the mill is running at that rate.
The story that escaped from this city the other day to the effect that Gover-
nor BRUMBAUGH has organized a force of detectives to shadow office seekers
caused more amusement in the corridors of the capitol than anxiety. Yet the
Governor might do just such a thing. He has schoolmaster habits firmly fixed in
his system and the idea of such an espionage might occur to him. But it won’t
amount to much for the moment he gets too gay the Senate will come down upon
him “like a thousand of bricks.” The Governor’s power of appointment is qualifi-
ed in a measure and if he gets too particular the Senate will refuse to confirm his
selections. Those already in are satisfactory to the machine and they will stay in
until their successors are qualified. But I have no idea that the quarrel will go
to such lengths. The Governor is still experimenting, or more accurately speak-
ing, feeling his way, and before his term is half over the Legislators will be eating
cat.
out of his hand while he is smoothing their hair like an old maid soothes a pet
The legislative Bible class is still doing business at the old stand but there is
no great rush to hit the trail. Still it may do a lot of good as its organization re-
vealed a lot of courage.
DALE.—MTrs. Olive Keturah Dale, wife
of Martin Dale, died at her home on east
Bishop street at 7.30 o'clock last Thurs-
day evening. On the 28th of October,
1914, she underwent an operation for
cancer at the Bellefonte hospital and |
while the operation probably prolonged :
her life it did not long delay the fatal '
inroads of, this insidious disease, which
finally caused her death.
Deceased was a daughter of Jerome
and Nancy: Robinson and was born. at
Woodland, Clearfield county, on. Sep-
tember 11th, 1861, making her age at
death 53 years, 6 months and 14 days.
Her girlhood was spent at the home of
her birth and on December 27th, 1883,
she was united in marriage to Martin
Dale. Practically all her married life has
been spent in Centre county, the last
twenty years of which was in Bellefonte.
She was a ‘member of St. John’s Evan-
gelical Lutheran church, a true christian
woman, a loving wife and mother and
one who had many friends who sincerely
mourn her death. Throughout her
months of illness she bore her suffering
with meek and patient resignation and
her death was calm and peaceful.
Surviving her are her husband and four
children: Miss Beulah, Guy and Bonna
Dale, of Bellefonte, and Jerome, of
Renovo. She also leaves one sister and
a brother, Mrs. Harvey C. Shuey, of Ty-
rone, and Lucian Robinson, of Clearfield.
The funeral was held at 2.30 o'clock on
Sunday afternoon and owing to the fam-
ily just recently getting out of quarantine
the only service was at the grave in the
Union cemetery, and it was in charge of
Rev. W. M. B. Glanding. Memorial serv-
ices will be held at some future date.
Among the friends from a distance
who were here for the funeral were Mr.
and Mrs. A. F. Dale and Mr. and Mrs:
Samuel Dale,of DuBois; Lucian Robinson,
of Clearfield; Clyde Hooper, of Hunt-
ingdon; Mrs. Edward DeHaas and Lucian
Dale, of Altoona; Mr. and Mrs. H. C.
Shuey and Mr. and Mrs. Furman Ross,
of Tyrone.
I i
Kurtz. —Rev. J. C. J. Kurtz, of Read-
ing, died quite suddenly of heart disease,
on Friday night of last week, at Jackson-
ville, Fla, where he was spending the
winter with his wife and daughter. Rev.
Kurtz was a retired minister of the Re-
formed church and will be remembered
by Bellefonte people through his resi-
dence here about twenty years ago when
he conducted the stationery store, now
the Index. During the past four or five
years Rev. Kurtz has visited Bellefonte
on motoring trips. A surviving son is
Charles Kurtz, of Clearfield, also well
known in Bellefonte. The remains were
buried at Reading on Tuesday.
| 1
GRAFFMYER.— Joseph Graffmyer, a
native of Boggs township, died at the
Lock Haven hospital on Wednesday night
of last week, after a brief illness, aged
seventy-two years. He was a carpenter
and had lived in Lock Haven many years.
Surviving him are four sisters, Mrs.
Farley and Mrs. Faust, of Bellefonte;
Mrs. Dora Thomas and Mrs. C. W.
Wertz, of Altoona. The funeral was held
on Saturday afternoon, burial being
made in the Flemington cemetery.
Thomas and Elizabeth Farley, of this
place, nephew and niece of the deceased,
attended the funeral.
—
FORTNEY.—Following an illness of two
weeks with bronchial pneumonia Mrs.
Sallie Fortney, widow of the late James
Fortney, passed away at her home in
Pine Grove Mills on Monday night. She
was a daughter of John and Sarah Becker
Homan and was born at Aaronsburg on
March 18th, 1842. When but nine years
old her parents moved to Pennsylvania
Furnace where they lived a few years
then moved to Harris township. In the
fall of 1862 she was. united: in. marriage
to James Fortney and“they went to farm-
ing on the farm now occupied by A. Stine
Walker. For forty-two years they made
that farm their home and a more hos-
pitable place did not exist in Ferguson
township. Mrs. Fortney’s death re-
moves from the Lutheran church a mem-
ber whose influence for good was be-
i yond compare. She loved her church
and at all times labored hard and faith-
fully in the Master’s cause.
Mr. Kimport died in 1904 and soon
thereafter Mrs. Kimport moved to Pine
Grove Mills where she had since lived.
Surviving her are two sons and three
daughters, namely: Clement Fortney, of
Altoona; J. A. Fortney and Mrs. E. C.
Musser, on the Branch; Mrs. D. C. Krebs,
of State College, and (Mrs. Anna Fry, at
home. She also leaves one brother,
Alfred Homan, of Pittsburgh, two half-
brothers and three half-sisters, as fol-
lows: Robert Homan, of Zion; William,
of State College; Mrs. Jacob Musser and
Mrs. Emma Fiedler, both of Aaronsburg,
and Mrs. Margaret Musser, of Loganton.
The funeral was held from her late
residence at ten o’clock yesterday morn-
ing. Rev. L. S. Spangler had charge of
the services and burial was made beside
the remains of her husband in the new
cemetery at Pine Grove Mills.
I |
BITTNER. — Mrs. Talitha Margaret
Bittner, wife of Thomas W. Bittner, a
well known letter carrier of Lock Haven,
died at the Lock Haven hospital on Sat-
urday morning following an operation on
March 23rd for the removal of tumors.
Deceased was 34 years, 5 months and 28
days old, and was a daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. D. K. Miller, having been born at
Jacksonville, this county. She is sur-
vived by her husband and three young
children; also her father and the follow-
ing brothers and sisters: Mrs. George F.
Hoy, of Hublersburg; Mrs. Ira K. Shoen-
felt, Mrs. Charles Gallagher, William Ww.,
Claude and Oliver Miller, of Lock Haven,
and Ammon, of Orviston. The funeral
was held on Tuesday afternoon, burial
being made in the Dunnstown cemetery.
: | |
COAKLEY. — James Coakley, a well
known farmer of Yarnell, died on Tues-
day evening after an illness of some
weeks with a complication of diseases.
He was born in Dublin, Ireland, on No-
vember 16th, 1838, hence was 76 years, 4
months and 14 days old. He came to this
country when a young man and had been
a resident of Centre county for many
years. Surviving him are his wife and
three children, Mrs. James Croft, of
Nant-y-Glo; John, of Julian, and Edward
at home. He was a member of the
Milesburg Lodge of Odd Fellows. Revs,
Clark and Wilson will officiate at the fun-
eral which will be held at one o’clock
this afternoon, burial to be made in the
Advent cemetery.
| GEORGE W. MCGAFFEY. — The an-
| nouncement of the death of George W.
| McGaffey Esq., which occurred suddenly
lat his home in Philipsburg yesterday
| morning, fairly startled his friends in
{ Bellefonte. Mr. McGaffey had been in
{ his usual health on Wednesday and, we
! understand, there was no premonition
| whatever of the heart failure that brought
| the end.
| He was born at Lyndonville, Vt., eighty-
| two years ago, and came to Powelton,
| Clearfield county, shortly before the war,
| There he became interested in business,
| mining, lumbering and mercantile, with
| the elder Nuttall and remained until 1867,
when he moved to Philipsburg where he
afterwards permanently resided. His
{ widow, who was Elizabeth Alice Nuttall,
and one child, Mrs. John E. Fryberger,
! survives.
| In many respects George McGaffey was
; Philipsburg’s foremost man. He was an
eminently successful financier, being
president of the First National bank
| of Philipsburg; extensively interested in
mining and other business activities of
the Clearfield region, and before age sap-
ped too much of his vitality dabbled a lit-
tle in politics. The latter, of course, was
only “for the fun there was in it” for Mr-
McGaffey’s only ambition seems to have
been to be a true friend to those who
were worthy of his friendship. A man of
unimpeachable character he was so mod-
it is little w nder that we found no re-
corded data of his life in “Who is Who” in
Centre county when we were called upon
to publish this notice of his passing. He
was not the kind who spoke much or
wrote of his own achievements, rather
was it his pleasure and habit to do things
in the most unostentatious way, and
knowing of some of the great things he
did, with as little ado as if they were
mere trifles, the WATCHMAN pays this
tribute to the memory of a man for whom
| it has always entertained the highest re-
gard and lays it at the bier about which
thousands are mourning in Philipsburg
today.
I |
BLAIR. —S. S. Blair, for thirty years
division superintendent of the Pennsyl-
vania railroad at Tyrone died at his
home in that place last Saturday
afternoon. Having enjoyed good health
| for months he recently suffered an at-
| tack of the grip and a few days before
' hisdeath a carbuncle developed on his
neck. He was up and around his room
ten hours before his death and at that
time none of his family anticipated sch
a sudden and serious ending.
Samuel Smoyer Blair was a native of
Dauphin county and was eighty-one years
old last October. When a youth he left
the farm to work on the old Pennsylva-
nia canal. :Later he went to work as a
clerk in a Pittsburghstore and in 1853 he
went to work for the Pennsylvania rail-
road company and three months later be-
came Adams express company messenger
between Harrisburg and Baltimore. He
returned to the service of the Pennsylva-
nia railroad company the nextspring and
filled positions from freight conductor to
superintendent of the Baltimore division
tendent of the Tyrone division. He filled
that position for thirty years, retiring
November 1st, 1903.
. He was twice married and is survived
by his second wife and four sons by
his first marriage, namely: Charles F.,
Horace C., Louis B. and S. Howard, all of
Tyrone. Mr. Blair was a leading elder in
the Presbyterian church, a Republican in
politics and a prominent member of the
Masonic fraternity. Rev. H. W. Bieber
had charge of the funeral services which
were held at 2.30 o'clock on Tuesday
afternoon from his late residence. Bur-
ial was made in the Grandview cemetery,
Tyrone.
STEINKIRCHNER.—Word was received
in Bellefonte yesterday of the death of
Mrs. Anna Catharine Steinkirchner, wife
of Joseph Steinkirchner, which occurred
at her home in Newton, Kan., on Wed-
nesday night. She had been an invalid
for several years and her death was rot
unexpected. ;
Deceased was a daughter of James and
Margaret Loughrey Crotty and was born
at Axe Mann about sixty-two years ago.
When a young woman she was united in
marriage to Joseph Steinkirchner and the
first five years of their married life were
spent up Spring creek and in Bellefonte,
Mr. Steinkirchner conducting a butcher
shop in the Bush house block. Thirty-sev-
en years ago they went west to Newton,
Kan, and that has been her home ever
since. Surviving the deceased are her
husband and three children, namely:
James who is married and lives in New-
ton; Gertrude and Clarence at home. Of
her father’s family of five daughters and
three sons only three remain, Mrs.
Robert Gilmore, of Philadelphia; Mrs.
Joseph Ceader and Mrs. Martin Cooney,
of Bellefonte. Particulars regarding the
funeral have not been received but bur-
ial will be made in Newton, Kan.
| |
CARNER. — Following a brief illness
with pneumonia John Courtney Carner
died at his home at Hublersburg on Sun-
day morning, aged 67 years, 10 months
and 11 days. His wife and five children
preceded him to the grave so that his only
survivors are a brother and sister, Wm.
G. Carner, of Hublersburg, and Mrs, W.
'H. Decker, of jacksonville. The funeral
was held on Wednesday morning, burial
being made in the Hublersburg cemetery.
nme A nests.
—Put your ad. in the WATCHMAN.
est, so unassuming, so unpretentious that !
until 1873, when he was made superin-.
'
: BURKETT.—Porter W. Burkett, one of
i the most prominent citizens of Storms-
town, died on Saturday morning of gen-
| eral infirmities, aged 79 years and 19 days.
| He was a son of John and Lydia Burkett
and all his life was spent in Stormstown.
When a young man he embarked in the
tinning business and later branched
| out as an undertaker, carrying on both
| lines until compelled to retire on account
| of his health,
| He was married to Henrietta Glenn
| who died in 1902, but surviving him are
' the following children: Ira. G. Burkett,
' of Stormstown, and Dr. S. S. and John
L. Burkett, of Cleveland, Ohio. He also
leaves two sisters, Mrs. J. H. Lever, of
Stormstown, and Miss Burkett, of Ty-
.rone. Mr. Burkett was a lifelong mem-
: ber of the Methodist church and Rev. F.
| A. Lawson conducted the funeral serv-
ices which were held on Monday after-
| noon, burial being made in the Storms-
| town cemetery.
| |
| LESH.—Mrs. Lydia Lesh, widow of
i Daniel Lesh, died at her home in Zion
on Sunday evening of diseases incident
| to her advanced age. She was born in
: 1822, hence was in her ninety-third year:
{ Her husband died twenty-three years ago
but surviving her are three sons and
three daughters. The funera! was. held
on Wednesday afternoon, burial being
| made in the Zion cemetery.
> —
PROPERTY CHANGES AND' MOVINGS.—
Paul McGarvey has leased the Shoemak-
er property on Spring street, lately occu-
pied by Dr. R. G. H. Hayes and will have
charge of same during the coming year.
Mr. Shoemaker will convert the property
into an apartment and rooming house,
to be ready for occupancy by April 10th.
There will be a number of apartments
| and rooms furnished and unfurnished. All
| will be equipped with electric light,steam
| heat and hot and cold running water.
Miss Mary McGarvey has moved her
photographic studio from the second floor
of the Lyon & Co. building on Allegheny
street to the Garman building on the
corner of High and Spring streets. She
will occupy the rooms over Dr. Coburn
third floor. In addition to photography
she will install a picture framing depart-
ment, and have associated with her in
her work her sister, Miss Blanche Mec-
Garvey, and her brother, Cameron Mec-
Garvey.
Cyril Moerschbacher has leased the
McQuistion house on the corner of High
and Thomas streets, lately occupied by
Mrs. Shreffler, in anticipation of his mar-
riage next month to Miss Howard.
Mr. and Mrs. William Evey and family
moved this week from the Amanda
Houser property on Pine street to Valley
View. John Krebs and family moved from
Milesburg into the McGinley house on
east Lamb street. Herbert Auman from
the Eckenroth property on east High
street to the Ray property on east How-
ard. Miss Belle Hoover from her
old home on Spring street to a room in
the Garman building, and the Casebeers
from the Brockerhoff house to rooms in
moved into his old home on Logan street
and Mrs. Dunkle from Bush’s Addition
into the Amanda Houser property.
>oe
EASTER DINNER AT THE BusH HOUSE.
—A big Easter dinner at the Bush house
on Sunday for 75 cts. Kindly make your
reservation. Following is the menu:
Blue Points
Queen Olives
Consomme in Cup
Saltines
Broiled Delaware Shad and Roe, Maitre de’hotel
Sliced Hot-house Cucumbers
Pommes Mayflower
Chicken Patties a la Reine
Punch de Violette
Roast Spring Lamp, Mint Sauce -
Prime Ribs au jus
New Potatoes in Cream New Buttered Beets
Fresh Asparagus on Toast, Drawn Butter
: Green Peas
Lettuce and orange Salad
Cheese Biscuits
Fresh Strawberry Short Cake, Whipped Cream
Cherry Pie
Pineapple Ice Cream Sponge Cake
Mixed Nuts Cluster Raisins
Roquefort Cheese Toasted Wafers
Cafe Noir
Celery Hearts
——The Centre county Commissioners
have decided to go ahead this spring with
laying out and establishing a park on
the ground lying between the court
house and jail. J. Linn Harris, member
of the State Forestry Commission, is also
interested in having that plot of ground
made as beautiful as possible and he has
secured a promise from Mr. Cowl, pro-
fessor of landscape gardening at State
College, to come to Bellefonte on Satur-
day, April 10th, and look over the ground
for the purpose of making suggestions as
to the best way to lay it out, and also
the most suitable kind of trees and shrub-
bery to plant thereon. During his stay
in Bellefonte Mr. Cowl will also go over
the Union cemetery and make any sug-
gestions desired by the officers of the as-
sociation in their work of grading and
laying out the new addition thereto.
——It was impossible to arrange a
peace meeting for April 6th, as stated in
the program of the Study Course. But
Mr. Jonas E. Wagner very kindly has
prepared his paper for that night. His
subject will be, “The Story of Poland.”
The meeting will open at eight o’clock as
usual in the High school building.. On
the last evening of the’ Study Course Dr.
O. S. Boucke, professor of Economics of
State College, will speak. ' Subject,
“Pledges for Permaneny Peace.”
——Subscribe for the WATCHMAN.
Rogers’ offices with a work room on the |
the Garman building. Edward Brown Jr., |
Radishes
| PROMINENT MINISTER Dies UNDER
SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES.— Rev. Dr.
Charles M. Aurand, one of the best
known and most prominent ministers of
the Lutheran church in Central Pennsyl-
vania, died at his home at Selinsgrove
on Friday night under rather suspicious
circumstances. After thirty-two years of
service in the pulpit, during which he
filled important appointments in this
State and New Jersey, Rev. Aurand re-
tired from the active ministry two years
ago and located in Selinsgrove where he
erected a handsome home. During the
past two years he filled appointments
upon request, engaged in the mercantile
business and prosecuted research stu-
dies at Susquehanna University.
Rev. Aurand, it developed last week,
had been a rather large borrower of"
money from the first National bank of
Selinsgrove and the Farmers’ National
bank. Some of the notes had been car-
ried for some time and on Thursday of-
last week cashier Roscoe C. North, of the
First National bank, called Rev. Thomas
C. Houtz and told him that Rev. Aurand’s
note for $450, on which he was endors-
er, must be met when due. Rev. Houtz
at once repudiated beingon any of Rev.
Aurand’s paper. An investigation was at
once started and it was found that Rev.
Aurand had notes in the First National
bank and the Farmers’ National bank
aggregating about ten thousand dollars,
on which were the names of Rev. Houtz,
Dr. Charles T. Aikens, president of Sus-
quehanna University, and other equally
prominent men as endorsers, most of
which were claimed to be forgeries.
When confronted with the statements
of the alleged endorsers Rev. Aurand
maintained that the signatures were gen-
uine, but Thursday night he took violent-
ly ill and after lingering in a critical con-
dition for twenty-four hours died Friday
night. = Suicide by poison was at once
suspected but an autopsy failed to re-
veal any traces of poison and a coroner’s
jury returned a verdict of death from
some unknown cause.
Since the reverend’s death it has also
developed that only recently he purchased
| the store of Charles I. Mattern, at Bea-
vertown, giving him in payment notes
i for $6,000 on which the endorsements
are also alleged to have been forged. As
soon as he got possession of the store
Rev. Aurand put on a cut price sale and
got rid of a large part of the stock for
cash.
Worthless stocks found among the
reverend’s papers, aggregating eight
thousand dollars, shows him to have
been a heavy investor in various get-
rich-quick schemes, while he also put
upon the market a proprietary cure-all
called Elixir Vitae, operating under the
name of the Keystone State Pharmacal
company. Rev. Aurand had a store in
Martinsburg, Blair county, and it, as well
as his home and everythingavailable has
been seized for the benefit of his credit-
ors.
Rev. Aurand was well known by Luth-
erans throughout Centre county and two
of his alleged dupes are also well known
here, Dr. Charles T. Aikens, who for a
number of years was pastor of the Luth-
| eran church at Pine Grove Mills, and
{ Rev. Thomas C. Houtz, who was born
{ and raised at Lemont, and has frequent-
| ly preached in Centre county churches.
On Tuesday prothonotary David R.
| Foreman received the six one thousand
| dollar notes given by Rev. Aurand to
| Charles I. Mattern & Son, in payment
| for the purchase of their store at Beaver-
|
| town, with a request that they be enter-
ed as a lien against any property owned
by Dr. C. T. Aikens in Centre county.
The notes all bore the endorsement of
Dr. Aikens, were dated March 15th, 1915,
and were drawn to mature at different
times. Dr. Aikens has repudiated the
endorsements as forgeries and protested
against the notes being entered up
against him, but that did not avail. The
only recourse the doctor has will be to
go into court, prove the endorsements
i on the notes to be forgeries and request
that the entries be stricken off the
docket. Dr. Aikens has been appointed
administrator of Rev. Aurand’s ¢state.
To THE PuBLic.—Friday, April 9, 1915,
will be the fiftieth anniversary of the
surrender of the Army of Northern
Virginia by General Lee to General U.
S. Grant. Gregg Post, G. A. R, has ar-
ranged to have exercises in connection
with the Bellefonte High school and the
Spanish War Veterans on the afternoon
of that day, beginning at 2:30. The pub-
lic is invited to join with them.
S. B. MILLER, Commander.
—Bishop Rudolph Dubbs, of the
United Evangelical church, widely known
throughout Pennsylvania and adjoining
States, died at his home in Harrisburg on
Wednesday. He was seventy-eight years
old and gained nation-wide prominence
when the split was made in the old Evan-
gelical church a number of years ago
which resulted in the establishment of
the United Evangelical church.
OPO en
——1In an article in last week’s WATCH-
MAN telling of the arrest and fining of
illegal train riders we inadvertently stat-
ed that Harvey Tressler spent one day in
jail when it should have been William
McGovern. Tressler paid his fine and
costs promptly and was discharged. This
correction is made in justice tothe young
man.
——Every cross-bun eaten today, adds
to your good luck throughout the coming
year. Telephone immediately to Cea-
der’s bakery your order before the supply
is exhausted.