Bena, adn
INK SLINGS.
—Any one with a perception of the
signs of the times recognizes an un-
mistakable swing to the theories and
practices of Wilsonism in government.
—Anyway, it can be proclaimed to
the world that there are more Demo-
crats in Centre county than the Brock-
erhoff dining room will accommodate.
— Almost there were enough Dem-
ocrats from the West ward of Belle-
fonte at the get-together dinner,
Tuesday night, to make a worth while
gathering of themselves.
—The ladies, God bless them, added
both dignity and beauty to the Demo-
cratic get-together dinner in Belle-
fonte, Tuesday evening. In truth, we
didn’t know there were so many good
looking women in Centre county and
we were tickled sick to find that they
are Democrats, too.
— Sixty-five persons in this land of
ours had incomes of a million dollars
during 1919. If they have a chronic
annual income of any such sum there
is where the most of the soldier bonus
should come from. No man can or
ought to live on a million dollar a year
basis. It isn’t good for him, society
or the rest of us who have to live on
what he hasn’t grabbed off.
—There is a correspondence course
in burglary. There must be, for on
the person of a young man caught
drilling a safe in Providence, R. L,
early Sunday morning, was found a di-
ploma attesting to his having success-
fully passed the examinations requi-
site for his graduation from the
school. It is interesting to know that
there are places, aside from mere as-
sociation with crooks and their envi-
ronment, where crime may be studied
and training in its practice acquired.
—And now in the wake of the ad-
journed arms limitation conference
we are being frightened by tales from
‘Washington to the effect that the de-
fenses of the Panama Canal are at the
mercy of our enemies and will have
to be improved. After the love feast
that Washington would have us be-
lieve has just terminated there we
deem it pertinent’ to inquire as to just
who our enemies are. We have been
laboring, evidently, under a delusion.
We thought Mr. Harding had insured
us perpetual peace.
—Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis
has resigned. How far his decision to
quit the federal court bench was de-
termined by the criticism engendered
by his holding onto that job while act-
ing as supreme adviser for organized
baseball we don’t know, but let the
‘odium of dual offices be as it may we
think
nine million Jollats wasnt a ba
to have on the bench, on
even though he “was “taking do
something less than fifty thousand a
year for telling Babe Ruth:and a lot
of other pirates where to get off.
—If the Hon. Ives Harvey throws
his hat into the legislative ring and
starts messing things up for the Hon.
Tom Beaver there’s sure going to be
some fun. Of course Mr. Beaver
would have no come back, for he
spilled the Harvey beans two years
ago. The interesting phase of such
a complication would be the line-up of
their supporters. It is generally
known that some elements are not
satisfied with certain of Tom’s actions
in Harrisbug and will n»t be disposed
to accept hi.. on the “trast me” theo-
Ty of 1920, but with Harvey as his op-
ponent it would be worse than jump-
ing out of the jaws of Scylla into those
of Charybdis to go to him, so what
are they going to do about it.
—Listen, Lester! Much as we all
hope and pray that great good may
come as a result of the recent arms
limitations eonference in Washington
we want you to stare right at the cold,
irrefutable fact that not an agreement
or a pact that Mr. Harding and Mr.
Hughes succeeded in having entered
into or signed in Washington, amounts
to more than the paper it is written
on until the child of Woodrow Wilson,
the League of Nations, gives its as-
sent. England, France, China and
Japan are members of the League and
Article XVIII of the covenant says:
“Every covenant or international en-
gagement entered into henceforth by
any member of the League shall be
forthwith registered * * * * and no
such treaty or international engage-
ment shall be binding until so regis-
tered.” This means, if it means any-
thing, that the ideals of a Woodrow
Wilson and not the crass bigotry of a
Lodge sit as the court of last resort.
—Mr. Edison’s latest questionnaire
as to what is the basis of money and
what gives it its value will reopen, no
doubt, many a discussion that has
been slumbering since the days of Mr.
Bryan’s 16 to 1 campaign and the Pal-
mer and Bucker irritation. Of course
Mr. Edison knows that gold is the ba-
sis of monetary value for the reason
that of the precious metals it is the
one the production of which is least
variable in supply. But his inquiry
as to what would be the value of gold
if all governments were to demonetize
it is easily answered for it would then
be measured only by its worth to the
arts and sciences as a metal, and in
such an eventuality its value would
be relative; depending wholly upon
the basis adopted for the one that
would supercede it. Gold, in itself, is
nothing more than a rare metal, and
while a unit of energy, as Mr. Edison
suggests, might be a truer measure of
value, since all wealth is created by
energy, we can’t conceive of its being
reduced to practical use as money un-
less it is not beyond the wit of man to
devise a system for its use.
STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION.
VOL. 67.
RUARY 24, 1922.
NO. S.
Millions for Tribute but Nothing for
Soldiers.
When the soldiers’ bonus bill was
about to pass the Senate some months
ago President Harding violated all
traditions by appearing on the floor
and asking a postponement of the
vote. Any other President from the
beginning of the government would
have exercised his constitutional veto
prerogative to defeat a measure he
appraised as inimical to public inter-
ests. But Harding lacked the cour-
age to adopt that course and “passed
the buck,” giving as a reason that the
federal treasury was not in condition
to stand such a strain upon it. With-
in a few days, however, he recom-
mended the advance of a larger sum
to the railroads to carry them over a
dangerous financial chasm.
The Republican convention that
nominated Harding for President
promised the soldiers a bonus. The
failure to fulfill that promise has
caused a widespread and vociferous
protest. Congress being frightened
by this demonstration in favor of the |
bonus has again taken up the question
and President Harding has again re-
monstrated. Unless provision is made
for funds to meet the demand, he has
inferentially declared, he will veto the
bill. In this connection he suggested a
“sales tax” as an expedient for rais-
ing the money. But Congress is just-
ly opposed to such an oppressive tax.
It would necessarily increase the cost
of commodities and bear most severe-
ly upon those unable to carry the bur-
den.
Though Mr. Harding is persuaded
that the treasury is in no condition
to meet the requirements of a sol-
diers’ bonus he feels that it is amply
able to pay subsidies. In a recent let-
ter to one of the Congressmen he cor-
dially recommends the passage of a
bill providing a subsidy to the amount
of thirty millions of dollars or more a
year to the ship owners of the coun-
try. Such legislation could not pos-
sibly be helpful to the country. But
it would afford largess to the million-
aire ship owners who contributed lib-
— to the campaign fund of 1920
> expected to be even more gen-
It would be interesting to find
out how the prothonotaryship of the
Supreme court of Pennsylvania got on-
to the political auction block. Pos-
sibly a well-directed and searching in-
vestigation might reveal the secret.
Popular Interest in a Mystery.
The politicians of the State, imme-
diately concerned in the matter or
otherwise, are watching with interest
the efforts of other politicians to elim-
inate Mr. W, Harry Baker, of Harris-
burg, from the factional fight now
in progress, for mastery of the organ-
ization. Mr, Baker is and has been
for many years, secretary of the State
committee, and is reckoned the
shrewdest and best informed politi-
cian of the bunch. He is the person-
al friend, political adviser and cam-
paign manager of Lieutenant Gover-
nor Beidleman. It is generally be-
lieved that if his friendship for Bei-
dleman were alienated and his activ-
ities checked, the Lieutenant Gover-
nor’s chances for the nomination
would be extinguished.
Naturally all the other candidates
for the Republican nomination for
Governor have a ‘common interest in
the removal of Baker, though not in
equal ratio. It may be asumed, for
example, that State Treasurer Sny-
der would rather see Beidleman nom-
inated than either of the others. That
famous or infamous $5000 check sort
of links them together. But Mackey
and Fisher and Pinchot alike stand
to gain by the weakening of Beidle-
man and would cordially join in team-
work effort but for one thing. The
friends of these candidates are not of
the same mind. Senator Vare would
rather take chances with Beidleman
than with Fisher or Pinchot and
friends of Fisher, Mackey and Pinchot
prefer Beidleman to either of the oth-
ers. So there you are.
Moreover the methods which have
been invoked to achieve the result are
as surprising and perplexing as the
purpose to suppress Baker. They in-
volve the personnel of the Supreme
court in an intrigue that may justly
be characterized as questionable. The
attractive office of prothonotary of
that court is vacant and is being dan-
dled before Baker’s eyes as a lure. In
other words, through some invisible
agency, Mr. Baker has been assured
that if he will get out of politics now
he may have that office with a life
tenure and a $10,000 guarantee an-
nually. In whose interest the court
is acting has not been revealed, but it
is certainly not in behalf of Beidle-
certain of a seat in the next Congress.
interest in the subject.
ee itl,
A bonus bill without meney to
meet its requirements is only “a
promise to the ear to be broken to the
hope.”
pe
Beidleman “Has the Call.”
| Within a week there has been con-
! siderable activity among the Repub-
lican strategists of the State in a con-
| tention for mastery. The real bosses
‘being in Florida the minnows have
been cavorting rather freely with the
view, probably, of making an impres-
sion on the minds of the southern so-
| journers. Lieutenant Governor Bei-
| dleman formally announced himself as
'a candidate for Governor within the
| week, and Harry A. Mackey has been
busy attracting attention to himself.
The friends of Banking Commissioner
Fisher have been holding meetings in
some of the western counties and the
ghost of Gifford Pinchot’s ambition
has been stalking abroad now and
{ then spreading consternation.
| The concensus of opinion as ex-
i pressed by the political press repor-
ters is that Mr. Beidleman is in the
| lead for the nomination at present. In
i his statement announcing his candi-
dacy he attempted to explain that
{ $5000 check but did it in such a lame
and impotent manner that his closest
friends were disappointed. However,
they reason that in the matter he did
precisely as other Republican officials
are in the habit of doing, and neither
of his rivals in the contest can raise
serious opposition. It was a sort of
“get the money boys” affair and com-
mands admiration rather than cen-
sure. He has promised a more com-
plete statement in the future and
great confidence is reposed in that.
As a matter of fact moral and men-
tal qualifications get little considera-
tion in the selection of Republican
candidates for office. Party expedi-
ency is the only question considered
by the bosses. If the signs indicate
an easy Republican victory at the
time of the nomination Beidleman will
probably be nominated. He could be
relied upon to serve the bosses better
than either of the others. But if there
is even a remote danger of defeat
Beidleman will not do and the party
may be compelled to nominate some
man of the type of George E. Alter,
of Pittsburgh, who could command at
least the respectable element of the
voters. But at this writing Beidle-
man “has the call.”
Be
rthur J. Balfour; recently the
British Ambassador in the Washing-
ton conference, has a good many jolts
in his long and active public career
but the hardest blow was administer-
ed to him the other day by Ambassa-
dor Harvey. Harvey compared him
to Senator Lodge.
Republican Congressmen Alarmed.
Some of the Washington corres-
pondents of the Philadelphia news-
papers write that Pennsylvania Re-
publican Congressmen are considera-
bly alarmed about political conditions
in the State. The signs indicate a
vast change in political sentiment and
a loss of a number of seats to the
party. Of course the Philadelphia
members feel secure and the Pitts-
burgh members are not much disturb-
ed. But outside of the big cities there
is a great deal of dissatisfaction and
none of the country members feels
certain of a seat in the next Congress.
The big majorities given in some dis-
tricts two years ago afford no guar-
antee of an election this year.
Naturally no Congressman blames
the impending slump on himself and
no two of them appear to agree upon
any theory as to the cause. The con-
census of opinion is that the contest
| for the gubernatorial nomination is
largely responsible, though some of
the wisest heads ascribe it to discon-
tent over the Senatorial situation. Mr.
Pepper is anything but popular
among the active members. It is re-
called that for a score of years he has
been indulging himself in a “sniping
fight” against the organization and
now without any perceptible reason to
justify it he is set up as a candidate
for Senator with a “keep off the
grass” sign all around him. Others
would like to enter the field but are
forbidden by the bosses in order that
Pepper's election may be made cer-
tain.
A conservative estimate agreed to
among Republicans is that the party
| will lose at least six members at the
next election in Pennsylvania, with
the Senatorial seat occupied by Pep-
per in grave doubt. At half that ra-
tio throughout the country the next
House would be about as strongly
Denjocratic as the present one is Re-
publican. Of course every effort will
be made from now on to avert such a
result, but the great trouble is that the
differences of opinion as to the reme-
dy are about as wide and irreconcila-
ble as those as to the cause. The
time is getting short and the menac-
ed Congressmen are becoming hys-
! terical.
——The Prince of Wales started on
his present journey to save India and
' he will be lucky if he saves himself.
BELLEFONTE, PA., FEB
" —Up in Massachusetts Republicans
——Let us hope they will get Harry | troubles.
A Tale of Two Parties.
Today the active Democrats of
Pennsylvania are assembled at Har-
risburg for the purpose of devising
ways and means to conserve the prin-
ciples and promote the interests of
the party. Impending bankruptcy,
the result of shameless profligacy and
astounding corruption in the adminis-
tation of the State government, has
admonished the people that immediate
and important reforms are necessary
and the Democratic leaders have de-
termined to attempt a rescue. With
that purpose in view the chairman of
the State committee, Bruce F. Ster-
ling, has asked the men and women
of that political faith to come togeth-
er to counsel as to plans and methods
of achieving that result.
For more than a week the Republi-
can bosses of Pennsylvania have been
assembled in Florida for the purpose
of devising ways and means to renew
their licenses to loot the treasury.
‘The active workers of the party have
not been invited to the conferences,
which are held so far away from home
that it is impossible for most of them
to attend, even if invited. The bosses
sit smug within the shadows of palms,
fahned by the gentle breezes of a
southern temperature, and divide the
spoils of office and the honors of pow-
er among themselves. When they
have arrived at a satisfactory conclu-
sion they will return home and tell
the servile slaves of their organiza-
tion who to vote for.
This is simply a tale of two parties.
One represents the people and shapes
its policies and methods through the
voice of the people. The other repre-
sents the bosses and proceeds accord-
ing to the rules of bossism to sup-
press the voice of the people. For
awhile certain alleged leaders of the
Democratic party tried to imitate the
methods of the Republican bosses but
failed to achieve the same results, and
the conference in session at Harris-
burg today is the expression of a re-
turn to the real Democratic methods.
We sincerely hope the work of the
conference will fulfill the best expec-
tations of the Democratic people and
bring to the party not only harmony
but victory. Go
Pw
are looking around for a good man to
lick Henry Cabot Lodge for renomi-
nation for the Senate. Aside from the
fact that it oughtn’t to require a very
good man to put that vain old bigot
out of the running, if the Republicans
can’t do it at the primaries we predict
that the Democrats will do it at the
election.
Melting Snow Makes High Water.
The “Watchman” office came within
four inches this week of receiving one
of its infrequent baths from the
waters of Spring creek. Monday was
the first real spring-like day and the
hot sun melted the snow on the moun-
tains and in the valleys with the re-
sult that most of the streams were
running bank full. Spring creek, at
this place, had almost a four foot
flood and reached its highest point at
eleven o’clock Monday night. At that
hour it was just four inches below the
level of the floor in the “Watchman”
office press room.
On Tuesday the water did not reach
a threatening stage but on Wednesday
afternoon it rose rapidly until at five
o’clock it was within a foot of the
“Watchman” press room, but that was
its highest point that day. The prob-
abilities are that the bulk of the snow
has been dissolved into water and all
danger of a flood in this place is past
for the time being at least.
Bald Eagle creek ran very high on
Wednesday, overflowing the banks in
many places with the result that many
fields were inundated. Down near
Howard some of the side roads were
under water and travel was consider-
ably interfered with. Considerable
apprehension was felt at Lock Haven
on Wednesday, according to reports
received here, of the dangers of a
flood in that place when the ice goes
out of the river. The ice is from fif-
teen inches to two feet thick and up
to Wednesday evening was holding
fast.
Weather reports indicate colder
weather but whether it will get cold
enough to retard the dangers of a
flood in the river sections remains to
be seen.
ie Ee A des
——Mr. Balfour, who was one, of
the principal figures in the Washington
conference, modestly admits it per-
formed an important service, but pro-
tests that the results are not “inimical
to the League of Nations.” On the
Solitary they are rather supplemen-
tal.
——Of course it’s wise to make the
Washington theatres safe but if all
Congressmen had been herded into
one in a collapse staged, the country
would be about as well off.
rr ——— A ees
——Even the artful dodger has
The President is getting
Baker out of politics. He is the key , fresh evidence of this fact every day
' cog in the machine.
of his life.
sion and settlement.
Agreements Without Obligations.
From: the Philadelphia Record.
The discussion of the net results of
the Washington conference by Nor-
man H. Davis, recently Under-Secre-
tary of the State, is entirely just. The
results amount to something. They
are good as far as they go, and if they
mean what they seem to mean. But
they don’t go very far, and it is not at
all certain what some of the more im-
portant of the agreements mean. It
is true, too, we have assumed re-
straints without a clear assurance
that other nations will be bound by
similar restraints. ;
Japan could hardly be expected to
restrain itself in the fortification of
her home islands, but Japan is as
near Manila as Manila is to Japan,
and we are simply trusting to the
good will of Japan not to take the
Poilippipe Islands. England may for-
tify Singapore—that is, may maintain
a naval base there. The navies of
Great Britain and Japan will materi-
ally exceed our own, and we cannot
fortify the Philippines.
The agreements reached at the con-
ference contain no provision for their
enforcement, because the lican
Senators could not be expected to rat-
ify agreements that did. Buf, then,
what is the value of agreements that
carry no obligations, and contain no
provision for their enforcement, and
make no provision for the contingency
of their violations? The President
told the Senate that we must accept
the statement of other nations in good
faith. But we needed no Washington
conference to satisfy us that the pres-
ent intentions of all parties concern-
ed are pacific. What will be their in-
tentions five years hence? If we
won’t make a contract with them for
five years, we can’t expect to
make a contract with us, and, there-
fore, no one knows what anybody will
do in 1927. oy
Mr. Davis said: $4
If a controversy should arise ever the
failure of one of the Powers to keep its
pledges in respect to China or Siberia, it
is not clear to me what our rights and du-
ties would be. As this and the naval trea-
ty are not in any way conditional upon the
observances of these treaties, it would
seem that we are in effect estopped from
using force in the case of non-observance.
It is not clear to anybody else what
our rights and duties would be in the
£
event suggested, which is not a very
remote contingency. There no
force. The "nearest that the foux-
Power treaty comes to this is the
agreement of the parties to confer
with each other.
The Shantung controversy is likely
to be settled, but, as Mr. Davis says,
“if this withdrawal (of Japan) is to
be made at the expense of a more se-
cure hold on Manchuria and Siberia,
it would be a costly one, and would
not help the situation.” And this ap-
pears to be the case; for Japan gives
up no concession already secured in
Manchuria, and it agrees to leave Si-
beria when it gets ready. Everything
that was done at the conference could
have been done in the League of Na-
tions, and much more could have been
done, and everything could have been
done more effectively. There are def-
inite obligations in the covenant of the
League, and there are means of en-
forcing them.
They Love the Fence.
From the Altoona Tribune.
. When a man is a public official he
is very strongly tempted to sidetrack
doubtful problems. He prefers to be
opinionless, thus hoping to retain the
confidence and esteem of all classes.
He is represented fairly well by an
old friend of ours who was a candi-
date for a county office a good many
years ago. Ome of his constituents
accused him of being a “temperance
man,” at a moment when persons of
that sort were less numerous than
they are now. He was obliged to ad-
mit the soft impeachment, but affirm-
ed that he was “not strenuous.”
The average occupant of a public
office prefers to be opinionless. Un-
fortunately that is an attitude a mem-
ber of Congress cannot very well oc-
cupy. Questions of considerable mo-
ment come up in Congress for discus-
Members are
obliged to vote and thus record them-
selves on one side or another. A lim-
ited amount of dodging is possible,
but that cannot be carried very far
without exciting suspicion. Some
Congressmen are fearless and decid-
ed, but a very considerable number
are very much annoyed when there is
difficulty in determining the trend of
public opinion.
Many Congressmen are in the
depths of bewilderment and despair
at the present moment. They are con-
fronted by the demand of the Ameri-
can Legion for a bonus and by the
hostile attitude of the farmers and the
business public to the proposition.
They feel that if they do not vote for
the bonus they will incur the displeas-
ure of the organized veterans of the
country. They know that to pass a
bonus bill without providing for the
payment of the claims of the young
men would be worse than useless.
And they. realize that the organized
farmers and the business of the coun-
try generally will resent increased
taxation.
Our representatives are certainly
in a quandary. We do not know how
they will settle it. . The chances are
that they will be damned if they vote
the bonus and damned if they don’t.
It’s a hard lot, indeed. Perhaps the
easiest way out would be to follow the
lead of conscience and cast expedien-
cy to the winds.
SPAWLS FROM THE KEYSTONE.
—At a stock sale on a farm near Latrobe
last week a stallion that two years ago
was purchased for $700, brought $50. Oth-
er stock was sold at correspondingly low
prices.
—In Clinton county court, Rex Vernes-
ky, of Mill Hall, was fined $1,000 and sent
to jail for three months for selling liquor.
He was regarded as the ring leader in a
moonshining whiskey still operation.
—Half a million dollars will be spent for
street paving in Williamsport this year.
The Highway Department is preparing to
begin work on its program as soon as the
weather permits to furnish work for idle
men.
—Watsontown is rejoicing over an order
received by the Watsontown Door and
Sash company for the woodwork for five
hundred new homes in New York city. It
is taken as an evidence of better times
coming.
—C. W. Richardson, a salesman stop-
ping at a New Castle hotel, climbed in his
sleep to the roof of the hotel and walked
over this and other adjoining roofs for 200
feet then plunged to his death. He was
50 years old.
—Willilam Snyder, of Lock Haven, took
two bi-chloride of mercury tablets in mis-
take for headache medicine a few days
ago. The error was quickly discovered
and he was taken to the hospital. It is
believed he will recover.
—A Butler county jury, with two women
on it, gave Mrs. Catherine Buckley, of
Bruin, a verdict for $5000 for the death of
her husband, who was accidentally killed
by a freight train on the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad at Bruin in June, 1920.
—John Yoschin, appraiser in the estate
of Edward Blumer, a hermit living at
Mountainville, Berks county, reported to
the register of wills his desire to find all
the property the deceased might have left
he had torn a stone out of a wall and dis-
covered $25,000.
—An unknown woman undressed on the
banks of the Susquehanna river at Wilkes-
Barre, on Sunday and then waded and
swam out into the river where she drown-
ed before rescuers could reach her. Police
used grappling irons in search for the
body several hours but without avail. Her
clothes gave no clue to her identity.
—Rev. T. J. Fulton, who last September
gave up his work as pastor of the Meth-
odist Episcopal church at Salona on ac-
count of ill health, died at Sinnemahoning
early last week. Surviving are his wife
and two sons. Previous to his entering the
ministry he was a resident of Mahaffey,
engaged in school work, and many friends
throughout that region knew him.
—Seven merchants at Muncy were vic-
‘timized by a slick agent who collected
from them $6 apiece, the purchase price of
a book in which to compile income tax da-
ta. The Wilkes-Barre company that han-
dles the book is all right, it is said, and if
it can be proven that the man was really
a bona fide agent, the company will likely
make good. Meanwhile the suave sales-
man languishes in jail.
—Dan and Guy Moffat, the former of
Donohue and the latter of Crabtree, were
shot at an early hour Tuesday morning of
last week while walking along the road
near Crabtree. Dan died at the Westmore-
land hospital from the wound in his stom-
ach and Guy has a serious wound in the
shoulder. State police are looking for
peared after the sheoting. .
—Freeland police thought that two men
engaged in chiseling off rivets and drilling
through iron in the basement of the First
National bank, of that town, were burglars
and the whole force surrounded the build-
ing, together with a number of citizens
who had been summoned, including assist-
ant cashier John J. McGarvey. When the
latter arrived he discovered that the men
were repairing a furnace, having put on a
night shift to hurry the work.
—A craving for excitement caused
Charles Harvey, 19 years of age, of Dan-
ville, to start four fires in the hardware
store of his benefactor, which resulted in
lossess aggregating more than $100,000. At
least that is what he was said to have told
the police on Sunday when he was arrest-
ed and charged with having set fire to the
store upon four different occasions in the
last month. The latest blaze occurred on
Sunday. Harvey, an orphan, recently was
given a home by Warren W. Wellliver, a
hardware merchant. On January 24 fire
in his store caused damage estimated. at
$50,000; two others on Saturday destroyed
the warehouse with a similar loss.
—Members of the mortuary fund of the
P. O. 8S. of A. who have held insurance in
the organization, some as long as forty
years, will get no returns, according to let-
ters from the State Insurance Commission-
er to residents of Pottsville. The affairs
of the fund are being wound up and all
the money in the treasury has been used
to pay the death benefits of members who
have died, while those still living will get
nothing except the value of the protection.
Among the oldest members of the fund is
Frank Kaiser, a merchant of Pottsville,
who paid in $1200 but does not expect a
cent back. While composed of P. O. 8S. of
A. members, the fund had no official con-
nection with the organization.
—The Supreme court on Monday heard
argument on the appeal in behalf of Gil-
bert McCloskey, under sentence of death,
having been convicted of murder in the
Blair county court for the shooting to
death on August 3rd last, of William E.
Niehaus, of McKeesport. The court re-
served decision. The shooting occurred in
Altoona when McCloskey and two confed-
erates, George Lafferty and Edward Yon,
attempted te hold up and rob Niehaus.
Counsel for McCloskey in their argument
contended that Judge Baldridge, before
whom the case was tried, had not ade-
quately stated the defense’s side in his
charge to the jury and that the charge
was almost a peremptory direction to con-
vict the defendant.
—A verdict of manslaughter was return-
ed last Thursday night by the jury at
Mifflintown in the case of Daniel Benner,
on trial in the Juniata county court in
connection with the killing of constable
Thomas M. Ulsh at the Benner home in
Turkey Valley September 1st. The case
was given to the jury at noon that day.
Ulsh was shot when he and state trooper
Earl Wilson went to the Benner cabin to
serve warrants on several persons charged
with stealing chickens. Wilson was wound-
ed and Roy Jones, a brother-in-law of
Benner, was killed in the fight that follow-
ed. Benner is the second member of his
family convicted in connection with the
shooting. His son, Charles Benner, was
found guilty of first degree murder in De-
cember. Sentence in his case is being de-
layed pending argument on a motion for a
new trial.
| Janes Copeola, of Crabtree, who disap-