Brora Hii.
INK SLINGS.
—1It is invariably a sign that the
supply of “bright eyes” is running low
when the host no longer invites you
to “pour your own.”
—O0ld Dame Nature followed up the
pumping demonstration last Friday
night with a display of water throw-
ing that chased even the triplex pump-
er to cover.
—Anent the prospects of a fruif
crop we have seen green apples and
green plums quite frequently lately,
but only an occasional cherry on a tree
in Centre county.
—This thing of having frosts every
morning is probably more disturbing
to the fellows who are hoping for a
good grape crop than to the ladies
who have beans a few inches above the
ground.
—We await with interest some re-
port from Washington to the effect
that the administration has decided to
turn off the Wilson highway and un-
dertake the building of a better road
of its own.
— Wheat and coal have both advanc-
ed slightly in price recently and while
we would not risk the statement that
wheat will go higher we still advise
those who can to lay in their next
years’ supply of coal now, for bitumin-
ous will not be cheaper than it can be
bought at today.
— Washington and Wall streei are
beginning to find. out that former
President Wilson’s watchful waiting
wasn’t so much on old Vestuana Car-
ranza and Huerta as it was on Amer-
ican oil speculators who have been at
the bottom of most of our troubles in
Mexico for years.
—Chief Justice White, of the Unit-
ed States Supreme court, is at the
point of death and his end may have
come ere this copy of the “Watch-
man” reaches you. Aside from the
general regret that the country will
feel in the loss of the eminent jurist
his passing may have a depleting ef-
fect on the faculty of a certain large
New England University.
—Germany’s debt to the Allies will
be paid in bonds which will be redeem-
able in gold. Their face value will be
one hundred and thirty-two billion
marks and as that represents more
than three times as much minted and
bar gold as there is in the world it
will be seen that, after all, the yellow
metal is really nothing more than a
standard of value. If Germany pays
at all the percentage of bonds actual-
ly paid in gold, the metal, will be very
small. It will be in the balance of
trade expressed in its gold equiva-
lent.
—Mr. Volstead is having a round in
Washington with the manufacturers
of hair tonic, proprietary remedies and
flavoring extracts. They. all say they
. can’t manufacture without alcohol as
the base and therefor Congress will
be making a grand mistake if it tight-
ens up the regulations any further.
Personally we still have a little faith in |
proprietary remedies and flavoring
extracts but so far as hair tonics are
concerned we don’t care a continental
darn what Mr. Volstead does with
them. We've tried everything from
the Seven Southerland Sisters to Pi-
naud and so far as results are .con-
cerned anybody looking at us, uncov-
ered, would share our opinion that
they are a snare and a delusion.
—Rev. Virgil C. Finriel, who is
touring this State as general educa-
tional secretary of the Church of the
Brethren, declares that churches are
dying and that community centres
must be maintained as the only hope
of keeping religion alive. We haven’t
heard the Rev. Virgil, but we read
that he cites a Minnesota village of
eight hundred population in which
seven churches are without pastors, as
evidence of the decadence of the
House of God. We wonder if the Rev.
Virgil ever stops to think that a vil-
lage of eight hundred people would
have about as much use for seven
churches as it would have for the
Woolworth building. Such dope
doesn’t frighten us. The churches are
not dying. They are just as essential
to the American heart and mind as
they ever were, only there are too
many of them some places and too
few others.
—The demonstration of a triplex
motor pumper in this place, last Fri-
day night, was very impressive so far
as the capacity to lift water and throw
streams was concerned. All of Belle-
fonte is interested in the question and
most of those who saw the pumper at |
work were satisfied that it will do as
represented. But is that all that is
required in our case? We fancy that
had three streams of hose been taken
off the plugs at the Arcade or Bush
house corners they would have equal-
led those lifted by the pumper and
possibly been thrown nearly as far. In
any event they would have gone high
enough to have reached the tops of
any buildings in Bellefonte. Unless
our water mains have materially
changed in recent years the lower
parts of town and the central section
up town have pressure at the plugs
always sufficient that even the assist-
Aemaeric
amg
Net
ON
STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION.
VOL. 66.
Stage Set for a Farce.
ployed shaving down the appropria-
tion bills of the Legislature to a total
gate of the revenue of the State.
subserve. He hopes to make himself
appear the champion saver of the peo-
ple’s money. The stage is admirably
will amount to about $135,000,000.
the total appropriations approved two
years ago. Deficiency bills amount-
ing to about $8,000,000 raised the ex-
penses of the years covered by those
appropriations to about $121,000,000.
It will be possible, therefore, to cut
out $14,000,000, which will look like a
great achievement in political surgery.
But a careful analysis of the facts
will somewhat modify the enthusiasm
of his admirers in this matter. The
expenses of the several departments
were considerably increased by the
Legislature through the creating of
new offices and increasing the salaries
of many officials already liberally rec-
ompensed for the service they render.
But during the closing days of the ses-
sion $10,000,000 or $12,000,000 more
than were needed were added to the
measures in order that the Governor
might have opportunity to cut heavily
and look like a real “treasury watch
dog.” It was a “frame up,” but so
stupidly performed that even casual
observers of affairs could see it with
the naked eye. It will be economy
that does not economize for it would
be impossible to spend all the money
appropriated and stay out of the pen-
itentiary.
The profligacy of the last Legisla-
ture was appalling, but the Senators
and Representatives who voted the
amounts are not altogether responsi-
ble for it. They were literally forced
to it by the Governor and the Republi-
| can organization of the State. Pen-
| rose having been declared politically
!dead, the Governor and chairman
Crow, of the State committee, have
set out to plant themselves in office of
long tenure and honorable title
through the medium of political ma-
nipulation. This enterprise will re-
is expected that a judicious use of the
funds appropriated for the State gov-
ernment will supply it. Safely in the
Senate before an accounting can be
exacted, they can laugh at the poor
boobs who supplied them with the sin-
ews of war.
——Mr. Julius Kruttschnitt, chair-
man of the board of directors of the
Southern Pacific railroad, is too mod-
est. He thinks the government ought
to pay the expenses and allow share-
holders to operate the roads and take
the earnings.
Emergency Tariff Bill Passed.
The emergency tariff bill which has
been in the hands of the conference
committee for more than a week will
probably be agreed upon and passed
before this issue of the “Watchman”
reaches its destination. It was intro-
duced eight months ago under the pre-
tense that an emergency existed. We
have not learned that any such animal
has been killed or captured since. It
is true that at that time symptoms of
a decrease in the prices of commodi-
ties had appeared in the market re-
ports and indications pointed to the
death or disappearance of that trou-
blesome critter, High Cost of Living.
Probably the emergency tariff bill was
intended to head off that result until
after the inauguration of Harding.
In any event the farmers of the
country have not been relieved of any
sort of suffering by the consideration
of the measure. Before it was begun
most of last year’s crops had been tak-
en over by the speculators in farm
products and if it had been passed
promptly would have expired by limi-
tation before this year’s crop is har-
vested. Meantime the downward trend
of prices has enabled the farmers to
, supply themselves with farm imple-
ments and machinery in a declining
market, which they would not have en-
joyed if the bill had been passed sev-
en months ago. These facts lead to
the impression that the only reason
for passing the bill now lies in the de-
sire of Congress to show Woodrow
Wilson that he is not loved by Repub-
i lican statesmen.
The pending bill will expire by lim-
itation within six months of the date
| of approval by the President and in
: that brief period will not be able to
N
do much harm. But it will to a very
Governor Sproul is now busily em-
that will keep them within the aggre- |
In
this task he has another purpose to
set for him. The total appropriations
This is about $32,000,000 more than .
quire a vast.amount of money and it.
i Disarmament Must Come.
American Academy of Political and
, Social Science, in Philadelphia, last
Friday, “a vigorous attack upon the
chauvinistic military aspirations of
the leading nations of the world and
"an equally strong demand for univer-
'sal disarmament were made by one
' Democratic United States Senator and
three Republican Congressmen,” ac-
"cording to the esteemed Philadelphia
Record. The speakers were Senator
Thomas J. Walsh, Democrat, and Rep-
'resentatives Frank W. Mondell, Re-
publican, Wyoming; John Jacob Rog-
"ers, Republican, Massachusetts, and
Frederick C. Hicks, Republican, New
York. The gentlemen appeared to be
in full agreement both as to the possi-
bility and value of disarmament.
The peace conference at Versailles
more than two years ago developed
and declared a plan to accomplish the
purpose for which these gentlemen
are now contending with much force
and earnestness. One of the main
reasons for the League of Nations is
that it would make possible the reduc-
tion of armaments to what Represen-
tative Mondell designates “a reasona-
ble peace, police or defense basis.”
Not only that but in Section 8 of the
covenant provision is made for such
reduction. But Representatives Mon-
dell, Rogers and Hicks opposed the
ratification of the covenant by the
Senate and in the recent campaign de-
nounced it as a conspiracy against the
country and a covenant with evil.
Of course some plan must be devis-
ed to limit armaments. War expens-
es have caused more poverty and
imposed greater burdens than all the
other elements of government. For
forty years Germany has compelled
all progressive nations to maintain
vast and expensive military estab-
lishments. The curious mind of the
Kaiser led him to believe that big mil-
itary establishments served as a guar-
antee of peace. Now he knows bet-
ter. But Senator Lodge, and others
who probably draw salaries from mu-
' nition makers and manufacturers of
arms, have adopted his philosophy and
opposed the League of Nations be-
cause it provided for reduction in arm-
aments. And Mondell, Rogers and
Hicks supported Lodge in his action.
: We have no authority to speak
for State Treasurer Snyder but feel
safe in assuring the Governor that
there will be no objection to a cut of
a few hundred thousand dollars in the
appropriation for the Treasury.
Frauds in the Highway Department.
Within the period of a couple of
weeks five or six employees of the
| State Highway Department have been
arrested in Montgomery county for
defrauding the State through the me-
dium of padding the pay roll. The plan
was to put fictitious names on the list
of employees, draw the wages that
would have been due them if they had
been real employees, and dividing the
money among those concerned in the
fraud. Of course it was necessary that
some of those engaged in the conspira-
cy should occupy positions of import-
crooks. But Montgomery county is
equal to any demand upon its re-
sources in either particular. She has
plenty in high office and abundance of
crooks.
In publishing the facts in these
cases the Philadelphia newspapers in-
timate that similar frauds have been
practiced in various other sections of
the State. It is a pity that they were
not frank enough to name the other
places and the other persons concern-
ed. A good many people may imag-
ine that they refer to places and per-
sons that are not culpable. For ex-
ample we should indignantly resent
and promptly refute any charge of
| that kind against the employees of the
State Highway Department in this
section. But the Philadelphia papers
which have made the charges are cau-
tious, conservative and well managed
journals and we feel confident that
they have substantial reasons for the
| suspicions expressed.
| Some time ago the State Highway
{ Department employed a corps of ex-
. pert accountants to make a survey of
| the affairs of the Department. The
. experts were Philadelphians and pre-
sumably had a friendly feeling toward
| those who employed them and the par-
| ty under the auspices of which the af-
! fairs of the State are managed. But
| the investigation didn’t continue long
"or probe deep. Almost at the outset
. one of the bureau heads tried to com-
ance of the old steamers was not ac- considerable extent force American | mit suicide because a deficit in his ac-
tually needed. Our trouble has been
on the hills and outlying districts
| farm products out of foreign markets
| and thus vastly increase the surplus
| counts was disclosed and immediately
| the investigation was called off and
where mains are small and pressure | and incidentally decrease the prices the experts dismissed. We are not in
low. Will a triplex or any other kind | correspondingly. It will also mater- the confidence of those in authority
of a pumper throw water if there is
not sufficient to feed it? It seems to
us that the places to have made the
demonstration on Friday night was on
Curtin, east Bishop or east High
streets. Then we could have seen
whether it would offer other advan-
tages than the single known one of
capability of getting into action
quickly.
{ lally help to demoralize the magnifi-
| cent merchant marine created during
| the last three years, and restore to
British bottoms the carrying trade of
| the world, an advantage which might
have been taken away if the authori-
| ties at Washington had taken advan-
| tage of opportunities open to them.
| The loss will be great but experience
is a dear teacher.
and have no idea why the inquiry was ,
stopped. But there must have beena
reason.
-——What’s the use of the fuss
about women sitting on juries? The
women, heaven bless ’em, will improve
the jury service by sitting on juries
and if the right is denied now it will
' be acquired later,
At the annual meeting of the
ance and that all of them should be |
Primary Contest of Importance.
|
The speculators in political futures
in Pennsylvania predict hot primary
fights in the Republican primaries in
Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, this
year. This would be interesting if the
differences between the factions were
upon anything more substantial than
spoils. In Philadelphia the contrac-
tors’ combine is striving to maintain
its control under the sanction of pop-
ular vote and the chances are more
than even that it will succeed. In the
last contest the people succeeded in
electing a majority of the councilmen,
but within a few months the contrac-
tors bought up a sufficient number of
the reformers to restore them to pow-
er. Their present aim is to get pub-
lic ratification of the deal.
In Pittsburgh a similar situation is
presented. Senator Leslie, who for
several years has subsisted on the
spoils of office, was defeated a year’
ago by a faction under control of Mr.
Oliver, owner of several newspapers
in that city. Leslie enjoys a strangle
hold on the party organization but
the Oliver element had an advantage
in the fact that until the other day
the Pittsburgh mayoralty was a non-
partisan office. With the help of the
Governor during the last session of
the Legislature the non-partisan law
was repealed and the Leslie interests
greatly strengthened. Whether or not
Oliver will be able to maintain his ad-
vantage of last year, in the face of
these adverse circumstances, remains
to be seen.
There are a considerable number of
judges to elect in various sections of
the State this year, and as the judi-
cial office has been restored to party
determination, it may be- expected
that there will be more or less active
primary campaigns in every county
in which a judge is to be chosen. But
outside of the two big cities the con-
tests will be quietly conducted. ' The
results in the cities will depend large-
ly upon the attitude of the Senators
in Congress. If Penrose helps the op-
position to the contractors; the Vares
will be put out of business and if
Knox favors the Olivers, Max Leslie
will be eliminated. If Vare and Les-
lie are defeated Sproul and Crow will
be extinguished. So there you are.
I — Though the date for the official
inauguration of Dr. John M. Thomas
as president of The Pennsylvania
State College has been set for Friday,
“October 14th, five months in the fu-
ture, the college authorities have al-
ready begun preparations for the
event, which they intend making a
red letter day in the history of the
college. Governor Sproul has already
accepted an invitation to be present
‘and among the invited guests will be
"many college presidents, government
and state officials, Senators and Rep-
' resentatives in the General Assembly.
The inauguration will be held the day
: preceding the annual alumni home-
coming day, when hundreds of gradu-
ates are expected to visit the college.
| The committee selected to have charge
| of the official preparations is composed
! of Judge H. Walton Mitchell, of Pitts-
burgh; Hon. Vance C. McCormick,
Harrisburg, and John F. Shields, Phil-
adelphia.
Some person on Saturday was
saved from a plunge over the high
wall along south Water street by the
iron railing along the stone pavement.
From indications an automobile crawl-
ed the curb and ran into the railing,
breaking off one of the iron posts,
breaking the heavy flagstone at anoth-
er post and bending the lower rail.
The machine evidently got away with-
out being discovered.
——A class of 460 students will
graduate at the forthcoming com-
mencement at State College which will
begin on June 11th. This will be the
largest class ever graduated at the
College. :
lb A pi
Really Harding ought to be
kinder to Senator Knox, of Pittsburgh.
He knows that a word would guaran-
tee the passage of that resoultion but
refrains from uttering the word.
——The mine workers of West Vir-
ginia are also wondering what has be-
come of the good times promised them
during the campaign in the event of
Harding’s election.
——If anything under the sun will
convince the public that Harding is
right it will be the opposition of Sen-
ator LaFollette. He is almost as bad
as Bryan.
——If Governor Sproul caught a
thirty inch trout he is a great fisher-
man and if he didn’t somebody is a
great liar.
ppp
——General Pershing may be able
. to get even with those who undertook
"to stifle his activities and ambitions.
: ree fy A —
| Isn't it soon time for some one to
suggest that we have a safe and sane
Fourth of July?
NO. 20.
ho In Wilson’s Footsteps.
I'rom the Philadelphia Record.
Among the interesting episodes of
a week more than unusually prolific in
unexpected political turnings and
twistings was the announcement the
other day from Washington, made on
authority, that in the policy of the
Harding Administration toward Mex-
ico “in a general way, it is indicated,
the road to recognition pointed out in
a letter former Secretary of State
Colby handed to Roberto V. Pasquei-
ra, confidential agent of Provisional
President de la Huerta, is still the
road to be followed.” That is to say,
the policy of the Wilson Administra-
tion toward our Latin neighbor, which
has been the cause of so much Repub-
lican criticism, is to be carefully fol-
lowed. There is to be watchful wait-
jing and a close study of the Obregon
regime before the question of recog-
nition is to be taken up. This is good
. sense, of course, but it does not square
with the campaign denunciations of
1920. :
| Another illuminating incident was
Secretary Denby’s condemnation as
“the same old rot” of the charges of
cruelty against American marines
brought by a delegation of Haitians
now in Washington. Mr, Denby is an
ex-marine himself, and when he says
, that “the naval establishment has
i functioned in Haiti in a manner sel-
dom equaled by military occupation
anywhere” he gives his strong en-
i dorsement to the Daniels administra-
| tion of the Navy Department. This is
| highly creditable to Mr. Denby, but
! where does it leave the Republican
critics?
i Secretary Weeks at the same time
' gave his approval to the policies Jf
his predecessor, Secretary Baker, by
“his vigorous opposition to the plans
, of Congressmen for hamstringing the
army by reducing its strength below
the actual needs of the country. Mr.
Baker, having had large experience
with war, held out for an army of suf-
ficient size to be of some use and pro-
tection in an emergency. Mr. Weeks
has adopted his view and wants an ar-
my of not less than 175,000 men.
Taken in connection with President
Harding’s flipflop in his attitude to-
ward the Allies and representation of
the United States in the Supreme
Council, these statements of Republi-
can policy make interesting reading.
They go far'toward a complete vindi-
cation and indorsement of the Wilson
Administration.
publican friends think of it all? Was
it for this that they yelled themselves
black in the face in objurgation of
“Wilsonism ?” Somebody seems to
have been buncoed.
rere pe.
i
Errors in the Slacker List..
I'rom the DuBois Express.
The wisdom of former Secretary of
‘War Baker in declining to authorize
the publication of the list of draft
evaders until absolute accuracy was
assured is becoming increasingly ap-
parent as the list now finding publi-
cation in a few of the newspapers is
studied. Most of the newspapers are
refusing to publish these lists because
of the doubt concerning their accu-
racy. :
Complaints are reaching the War
Department from all over the coun-
try regarding errors, the adjutant
general of the army said: “If the
names of men were placed unjustly on
the list of draft evaders, the men
themselves are to blame.” He also
declared that “wide publicity was giv-
en to the department’s intention to
! publish the names of men charged
| with desertion from the draft. Con-
' sequently, registrants who had any
, doubts about their status and yet re-
mained so indifferent as to whether
or not their names were included in
! the lists as to make no effort to have
i their record straightened out have no
| just cause for complaint if their
{ names are published along with those
' of other men charged with desertion.”
This form of special pleading is
woefully lacking in the strength to
carry conviction of its justice. The
men in their eagerness to serve their
country enrolled, as they thought
properly, and they had a right to ex-
pect that the record of their service
would be properly kept by the gov-
ernment. For them to assume that it
has not been properly kept, is asking
too much of them and, besides, is a
confession of governmental inefficien-
cy as custodian of the records. In-
stead of the authorities proving that
the men thus erroneously listed were
draft evaders, the burden of proof is
placed on them to establish that they
do not belong in that class. In the
meantime, until this is done, they are
subjected to humiliation, of which
there is none greater to a brave man
who did his whole duty in the hour of
his country’s stress.
Work 30 Hours Per Week.
From the Harrisburg Patriot.
By recommending a smaller appro-
priation than his predecessor, dismiss-
ing some of the office force and prom-
ising still further economies, Auditor
General Lewis undoubtedly has made
the public hopeful that he will re-
trench further in the interest of State
thrift. However, his progress in this
direction cannot be very rapid so long
as he holds his office to a six-hour day
five days a week and closes it entirely
on Saturday. That kind of a sched-
ule is not in step with sound business
practice, either in or out of public
service. And nothing that he or any
pier person has said so far justifies
10.
But what do our Re-.|
——Get your job work done at this
office and get it right.
SPAWLS FROM THE KEYSTONE.
—Edward Crossman, of Reading, receiv-
ed a fractured skull one night last week
while witnessing an outdoor carnival.
Crossman was thrown heavily to the
ground by a woman acrobat who fell thir-
ty feet, when a trapeze broke. Had the
woman not struck Crossman she would
have been killed. Crossman may not sure
vive.
—Because he forgot to lock a drawer of
his desk when he left his office, Ralph E.
Davis, chief clerk to the director of public
safety at Scranton, had to make good $1200
taken from the drawer during his absence.
Davis was given the money, which repre-
sented court fines. by a police sergeant.
He gave a receipt and left the office. Five
minutes later it was gone. Davis was
compelled by the mayor to make good the
loss. He receives $125 a month.
—The future of the Grand Army of the
Republic in Pennsylvania, will be one of
the most important subjects on the pro-
gram for discussion at the annual en-
campment of the remnant of survivors of
this one-time powerful organization of
veterans of the Civil war, to be held in
Allentown June 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. Meeting
at the same time will be the conventions
of the Women’s Relief Corps, the Ladies of
the Grand Army and the Sons of Veter-
ans.
—Walter Allen, who brought suit againsé
twenty young men of New Castle for
$25,000 damages for a coat of tar and
grease applied to him during the Liberty
bond campaign in 1918, was awarded $350 °
by the jury Saturday night, after being
out for five hours. Six of the twenty de-
fendants were acquitted by the jury, the
members not being convinced that they had
any part in the tarring. The case had
been on trial for more than a week, and
some eigthy-eight witnesses were heard.
—A boy at Lochabar, in the lower end
of Clinton county, while plowing, felt a
sting in his ankle, and turning found he
had been bitten by a large copperhead
snake. He killed the snake and went on
with bis plowing, with the reins about his
neck. Nauseau and faintness from the poi-
son of the bite suddenly overcame him and
he fell to the ground. The mules he was
driving became excited, pinged and ram,
dragging the boy after them, until his
father released him. The boy is recover-
ing from the snake bite.
—Otto Heier, of Elk county, awoke in a
Pittsburgh hospital the other day, and
found a young woman by his bedside, who
claimed to be his wife. At first Otto did
not want to believe it, because he said he
did not remember having been married.
The story got into the newspapers and
the following day a constable arrived from
Ridgway, Elk county, with a warrant
charging Heier with bigamy. Mrs. Heier
No. 1 was waiting with her two children
at Ridgway. He is in the Elk county jail
now brushing up his memory.
—Attorney and Mrs. William L. Wood-
cock and daughters, Misses Eleanor Lee
and Elizabeth F., of Hollidaysburg, are
preparing to go to Europe on July 2nd.
They will go to Naples, Italy, and after
making a tour of that country, will go to
Switzerland, Holland, France, England and
Germany. This will be Mr. Woodcock’s
third trip to Europe. Eleven years ago he
was there, spending much of his time in
Germany. The party will go through the
Rhine. Valley on the coming home trip, but
will not spend much time in that country.
— Responding with a cheery “come in,”
to a knock on her kitchen door, Saturday
morning; Mrs. Josephine Minshall, bride of
two weeks, of Chester, turned to greet her
visitor and was confronted by a negro,
who struck her over the head, knocking
her down. He grabbed a handbag contain-
ing $500 from the table of the living room
and eseaped. Mrs. Minshall was alone, her
husband having left a few minutes before.
The negro evidently timed his visit so that
Mrs. MinshaH would be an easy victim.
The money stolen was to have been spent
for furniture for a home, purchased re:
cently. The negro made good his eseape.
—Friday, the 13th, did not cause any
anxiety to George William Karl, aged 21
years, a Pennsylvania Railroad machinist,
and Lillie Pearson, of Juniata, Pa., who
journeyed to Cumberland, Md., last Fri-
day to get married. The bridegroom said
there were thirteen passengers in the
coach, No. 2513, hauled by engine 2713, and
that they arrived in Cumberland at 11:13
a. m. The taxicab driver had thirteen as
the last numeral of his license, and they
got their marriage license.in thirteen min-
utes. ~The Bridegroom’s given name,
George William, contains thirteen letters,
and the same number is in the full name
of the bride.
—After having served under a half doz-
en postmasters during the past twenty-
one years in responsible PosiBions Janies
I". Erisman, attache of the money order
department of the Lancaster postoffice, was
arrested on Saturday for rifling the mails.
Shortly after his arrest by Postoffice In-
spector Smith, Erisman confessed and is
held under bail for a hearing. Complaints’
of irregularities in the mails lately led’ to
Erisman’s undoing. When charged with
the crime and searched, two letters = ad-
dressed to the National Seed company,
both containing money, were found on his
person. Thefts have been going on for
some time, postal authorities say.
—Fighting a gallant battle at great odds.
Thomas Husher, aged 73 years, one of the
best known, residents in the Brownsville
section of Fayette ~county, is in the
Brownsville General hospital in a critical
condition. The battle came when two
highwaymen forced their way into the
home of Husher as he sat at a table read-
ing a daily paper. He grappled with them
and after a struggle which lasted about
ten minutes, he was left lying unconscious
on the floor of his home. Husher remem-
bers grabbing a blackjack from the hand
of one of the robbers and beating him over
the head with it. When the Fayette coun-
ty man regained consciousness he found
$100 he had in an upstairs room missing.
The robbers also had partaken of a full
meal before they departed.
—A mother’s instinct and a barking dog
saved Herbert, seven year old son of John
R. Kissinger, of Milton, from death in the
Susquehanna, to which the boy was run-
ning, delirious from mumps, after he had
slipped out of the house in his night shirt.
About three o'clock in the morning Mrs.
Kissinger awoke with a start, feeling that
something was wrong, went to the boy's
room, which she had left only a half hour
before, and found him missing. She awoke
her husband and a quick search was start-
ed. Outside they saw the little white
form heading for the river. When near
the water, John Trate’s dog jumped out
and barked at the boy. The lad turned
back, then started in another direction for
the. river, but the dog again barked and
turned him. By this time the father reach-
ed the child and seized him.