“Pemorraiic, atom
CE ————————————————————————————————"—S————
: INK SLINGS.
— Anthracite coal is one dollar high-
er per ton now than it was this time
last year and those who profess to
know say that it has only begun its
rise.
‘—Lots of us who thought we were
passing through a season of short
weed crops have found out that all the
weeds were waiting for were the re-
cent rains.
‘—From his sick bed the President
threw down the gauntlet to Hi. John-
son. All of which looks like he al-
ready knew that California could not
be counted on for him in the next
nominating convention.
— The net profits of the Levia-
than’s first trip amounted to nearly
$400,000, according to the statement
of the Shipping board, and that fact
invites wonder as to why operating
ships is a losing proposition.
—Mr. Ford says that he is not a
candidate for President today, but he
can’t tell what he’ll be tomorrow. How
characteristic of a Ford. Today it’s
all dolled up in shiny black paint look-
ing like a regular tin Lizzie. Tomor-
row, after some kid has tinkered with
it a bit, it has the body of a racer but
the runnin’ gears reveal that it is only
a road louse.
—Senator Oscar Underwoed for
Alabama has announced himself as a
receptive candidate for the Presiden-
cy. Of course many things might
happen in two years but if Underwood
should survive them and become the
nominee of our party any Democrat
could vote for him and many Republi-
cans should, because his were the
brains that gave to President Hard-
ing’s disarmament conference the lit-
tle it achieved.
—We are wondering what the Gov-
ernor was thinking, way back in his
head, when he was reviewing the war |
department of the State at Mt. Gretna
on Tuesday. We presume the six
thousand men who marched past him |
looked every inch the soldiers they
are, but we’ll bet Gif. was thinking
that he’d sooner face that whole divi-
sion in the open than have Charley
Snyder and Sam Lewis sniping at him
from their dug outs.
—The gentleman from Rebersburg :
who confessed to us recently that he
had never voted anything but the Re-
publican ticket, but would vote for
Henry Ford, if the Democrats should |
nominate him, will have to come in by .
another door. The gentleman in ques-
tion would be an ornament to any par-
ty, but we won’t permit ours to nom-
inate Henry Ford even to add the
name of Mr. H. to the Democratic poll
book in Miles township.
—The President’s threatened ser-
ious illness called forth the real con-
cern and genuine sympathy of the Na-
tion. A strange people are we. No
sooner was he on the sick bed than
everything else than Harding, the
man who had been called to the high-
est honor in the land, was forgotten.
And, why is it? Simply because no
one is Mr. Harding’s enemy. Some of
us are political opponents but there is
a world of difference between enmi-
ty and opposition.
—And now the Metropolitan press
is trying to lead us to believe that the
job of being President is too big for
one man. They point to the illness of
President Harding and the wreck of
former President Wilson as examples
of the terrific strain on the man who
guides our ship of state. What would
they have us do? elect “two Uncle
Toms and two little Evas” and make
it “a great, double, mammoth” gov-
ernmental exhibition. Nothing doing.
Mr. Harding might have been threat-
ened with pneumonia had he still been
grinding out copy for the Marion Star
and Mr. Wilson’s break was precipi-
tated by his supreme effort for hu-
manity during a tenure of office, the
stress of which was never known by a
President before him or likely to be by
any of his successors. The question
is not the size of the job so much as
how the man chosen for it sizes it up.
—Dr. Leo S. Rowe, director of the
Pan-American Union, stated at Wil-
liamstown, Mass., the other night, that
the South American impression cf us
is that the only things we are :eally
interested in is violating the Volstead
act and going to prize fights. While
admitting that the soft impeachment.
might be only half true it would be no,
wonder were it wholly so. Our neigh-
bors in the South gain their knowl-
edge of us from the newspapers. The
newspapers report the news and when
one hundred thousand people go to see
two pugs pummel one another it cer-
tainly makes a better story than when
a dozen or more spend an evening list-:
ening to a worth while lecture on how
to promote better trade and social re-
lations with South America. And we.
know that far more people would read
and acclaim the “Watchman” were it
to tell how three bootlegging cars,
coming in from the ‘Snow Shoe district
a week or so ago, escaped the State
police dragnet at the Intersection than
have even given a second thought to
its story of the capture and fining of
a dozen or more innocents who were
driving with their tail lights out at
the same point. While the South
American impression is purely a news-
paper impression, it’s the people who
make the newspapers what they are.
The public taste must be catered to,
else circulation and then advertising
falls. Until the public demands more
from its newspapers than a paragraph
of news of worth while occurrences
and scare headed columns of prize
fights and rum running we can expect
no foreign country to think we are in-
terested in much else.
~ Demgerat
7H
STATE RIGHTS AN
D FEDERAL UNION.
|
VOL. 68.
BELLEFONTE, PA.
Senator Hi. Johnson’s Mild Speech.
Senator Hi. Johnson’s New York
speech greatly disappointed public ex-
pectations. It was freely believed
that he would present at least a ten-
tative plan for the solution of most, if
not all, the vexed European problems.
He had spent a couple of months in
the capitals of Europe and talked with
men of influence and action in all
walks ‘of life in the various seats of
trouble. His object was to find out
exactly what is the matter over there
so that he might point the way to am-
icable adjustment. He returned on
Monday, arriving in New York on the
Leviathan, and was welcomed at a
banquet on Wednesday evening by his
admiring friends. It was commonly
understood that in his speech he would
“tear things up.”
But as a matter of fact he didn’t
do anything of the kind. On the con-
trary he said nothing at all about the
troubles in Europe and roared “as
gently as any sucking dove” on all
other subjects. He declared contin-
ued opposition to the League of Na-
tions and unabated hostility to en-
trance into the International Court of
Justice. These things were expected,
for Hi’s opinions on the league and
court having been founded upon the
prejudices of another man are likely
to be adhered to for all time. He said
something in favor of legislation on
the subject of child labor and com-
mended the equalization of labor for
women. But there is no visible oppo-
' sition to this, and any one might af-
firm it safely.
The disappointment rests in the
mildness of Senator Hi’s manner and
language. He failed to utter a sound
of rebuke to Harding for his obvious-
ly covert attempt to get into the
League of Nations through the side
door. On the contrary he declared
that “he spoke with: neither -personal
, nor political hostility to any man,”
but added, “what we condemned un-
der a Democratic administration we
will not accept under a Republican ad-
ministration.” As the late Captain
Cuttle would say, the President may
“take an observation of this point and
make a note on’t.” But he can hard-
ly say that it implies opposition to
another term for Harding and that is
what was looked for, both by. the
friends and enefiiies of Harding.
——The two-third rule in Democrat-
ic National conventions has served
good purposes on many occasions and
now it is a practical guarantee against
the “tin Lizzie.”
mr —— fi nn
Question in Dispute Expands.
The controversy between State
Treasurer Snyder and Governor Pin-
chot concerning the unpaid salaries of
employees may result in an extra ses-
sion of the Legislature. The State
Treasurer’s refusal to pay is based on
defects in the “reorganization” code.
The appropriation bill provides for
salaries in certain bureaus which were
abolished by the code and the fiscal
officers contend that it is unlawful to
pay them. For example, the act provid-
ing for the licensing of dogs declares
that salaries of members of the licens-
ing bureau shall be paid out of the
fund acquired by license fees. The
code abolished the bureau and vested
its functions in another department,
while the appropriation is to the bu-
reau. :
The Governor, Attorney General
and Secretary of State conferred at
length on this subject at Milford last
week but so far as public information
goes, arrived at no definite conclu-
sion, though upon the return of the
Attorney General to Harrisburg a
week ago the rumor of an extra ses-
sion began to circulate in official quar-
ters. Thus far it has not assumed
definite shape and the gesture of an
appeal to court for a mandamus is
generally regarded as a bluff. A ju-
dicial investigation is precisely what
Mr. Snyder wants for the reason that
he feels confident the Supreme court
will sustain him in his refusal to pay
on constitutional grounds.
In any event the question in dispute
is likely to expand beyond the salary
matter. It seems that appropriations
made by the last Legislature to var-
ious State institutions are irregular
and will be held up if court proceed-
ings are resorted to. A number of
such appropriations which should have
been passed by a two-thirds majority
of the Legislature in separate bills
were incorporated in the general ap-
propriation bill and passed by a bare
majority. If the Governor continues
a contentious policy in relation to the
salary claims it is the intention of the
fiscal officers to refuse to pay all such
appropriations. This would make an
extra session absolutely essential to
the charity policy of the State.
——1It is a safe bet that Secretary
of the Treasury Andy Mellon didn’t
wear knee breeches at the Lord May-
or’s dinner the other day.
————— A —————————
——Some of the scientists appear to
think that Mr. Bryan is making a
monkey of himself.
Underwood is a Candidate.
Alabama, has formally announced
himself as a candidate for the Demo-
cratic nomination for President in
1924. Former Secretary of the Treas-
ury William G. McAdoo has been act-
ing like a candidate might for some
time and former Governor James M.
Cox, standard bearer in 1920, is un-
derstood to be in a receptive mood on
the subject. Several other names
have been mentioned more or less fre-
quently as available, but Underwood
is the first to make public declaration
of his ambition. It occur.ed at a joint
session of the Alabama Legislature
on Tuesday. The announcement was
received with great enthusiasm both
before and after the event. Alabama
has marked him “favorite son.”
Senator Underwood is of presiden-
tial calibre. He has served with much
distinction and for many years in Con-
gress, first as Representative and sub-
sequently as Senator. In both cham-
bers he held high rank as a Legislator,
and conspicuous place in the Demo-
cratic force. In the House of Repre-
sentatives he was floor leader during
several sessions and soon after his ele-
vation to the Senate he was similarly
honored there. He was born in Ken-
tucky in 1862 and educated in the
University of Virginia. He is a law-
yer by profession and a business man
by occupation, if his long service in
Congress has left him an occupation.
His service in the House of Represen-
tatives began in 1895, and has been
continuous.
In his speech announcing his candi-
dacy Mr. Underwood is characteristic-
ally frank. He wants to be a candi-
date, he said inferentially, but he
wants Alabama and the South behind
him. He believes the South ought to
have the candidate and hopes the prej-
udices of the Civil war have subsided
sufficiently to make a southern candi-
date available. He is opposed to ex-
cessive tariff taxation and in favor of
the enforcement of prohibition legisla-
tion, thoug he believes there are better
ways of promoting intemperance. He
is conservative in his thoughts, actions
and policies and a master of the sci-
ence of government. It may be safe-
ly said that if elected he would take
rank among; the great Presidents. -
' —Let us hope that the Governor and.
the State Treasurer don’t get into
such a squabble over their respective
prerogatives that the State will have
to pay more in legal fees than the
Governor saved it by putting most of
i the hospitals of the State in the poor
| house. '
President Harding’s Illness.
Public sentiment will go freely to
the President in his sudden and ser-
ious illness. It is not alone that it de-
prives him of the pleasure and bene- |
fit of a complete vacation but it in-
volves physical suffering and mental
disappointments which no good citi-
zen would “wish” on him. In his de-
sire to give the people of the com-
munities visited enjoyment he over-
taxed his strength and it appears has
put his life in jeopardy. It is com-
forting to know, however, that he is
in good hands. Mrs. Harding and a
capable staff of physicians, who share
with her in ardent hopes of his speedy
I recovery, are with him and every en-
vironment is favorable for a success-
ful fight for the restoration of his
health.
The event naturally recalls the sim-
ilar misfortune which overtook former |
President Wilson during his tour of
the west in 1919. The circumstances
were not alike exactly. Mr. Wilson
had gone out for an unselfish effort to
support a great principle in the inter-
est of humanity. On the other hand
“Mr. Harding imposed upon himself
, the task for personal reasons and
| probably under the mistaken belief
that it would afford rest and recrea-
tion. In their zeal for achievement of
the purposes in mind both impaired
their physical strength and fell by the
wayside in sickness. It is gratifying
to see that sympathy for Harding is
‘universal, while a group of malignants
chuckled at the misfortune of Wilson.
There are lessons in every incident
of life and the lamentable impairment
of President Harding’s health will ad-
monish future Presidents that the
danger in these trips, whether for per-
sonal purposes or patriotic impulses,
is greater than the recompense. Ben-
| jamin Harrison was defeated for re-
election and William Howard Taft got
only the pleasure that he always
found in long journeys. Roosevelt
was as “hard as iron,” yet many think
| his health was impaired by his hard
trips at home and abroad. In any
event it may be predicted that in the
future suggestions of campaign tours
covering the continent will excite more
doubt than enthusiasm in the minds
of Presidents of the United States.
————— A ——————
——Besides it’s unfair to ask any
man to make the sacrifice which Mr.
, Ford would have to make if he relin-
quished the profits of his business for
the salary of President.
Senator Oscar W. Underwood, of
LaFollette Creates a Panic.
Senator LaFollette’s recent declara-
tion that in the event the Republican
convention nominates a reactionary
! for President there will be a third par-
| ty has caused something like a panic
| among the Harding managers. The
Wisconsin Senator has frequently
classified Harding as a reactionary
and his statement concerning a third
party is interpreted to mean that
another candidate must be chosen.
The alarm had taken such hold that
the President had been urged to cut
out the rest of his contemplated tour
and return to Washington immediate-
ly. His unexpected illness, however,
has resulted in the cancelling of the
remainder of his trip.
It is conceded that a gentleman’s
agreement between LaFollette and
Senator Hi. Johnson might easily re-
sult in a third party organization, al-
most if not altogether as formidable
as that launched by Roosevelt in 1912.
There .would be lacking that com-
manding force inherent in every ae-
tion of Roosevelt but that makes it the
more menacing. Roosevelt’s revolt re-
duced the party to so complete a
wreck that it was without influence in
the reckoning. A third party next
year might develop just strength
enough to prevent an election by the
usual process and send the decision
into the House of Representatives
where the third party would have the
balance of power and the deciding
vote.
It is possible, of course, that LaFol-
lette is simply “sparring for position,”
' as they say in sporting circles. It will
be remembered that when he was
' threatened with expulsion from the
Senate during the war he made terms
with the machine to save his face and
incidentally his seat and he may now
be laying lines to compel the Repub-
lican machine to give him such com-
mittee assignments in the next Sen-
ate as will keep him in the lime light.
Hi. Johnson appears to be of the same
type. He took orders from the ma-
china during the last session quite as
meekly as Pepper and the other
“trailers.” The Minnesota Johnson
may be made of different mould and
the other so-called radicals have not
yet been measured.
““% "We understand that editor Thom-
' as H. Harter, of the Gazette, has been
offered and declined an appointment
at the hands of the Governor, to mem-
bership on the board of trustees of the
western penitentiary. We congratu-
late the gentleman on the honor of
having had such a tender. We con-
gratulate him, also, on his declination
| of a “thank you” job, when others, not
| half so much for Pinchot as he was,
l are getting the ones with real money
in them.
The Railroads are Doing Their Best.
| Positive evidence that the railroads
of the country are recovering from the
| strain and disorganization of war
| times is found in the splendid func-
tioning of this year.
In the first six months of 1923 they
hauled the largest traffic ever hauled
in any six months in their history.
In June, 1928, they hauled the larg-
est traffic ever carried in any one
month.
For the week ending June 30th they
loaded 1,021,770 cars with revenue
freight, exceeding the largest prev-
ious week’s loading in history by
3,231 cars.
In the first six months of this year
' 79,240 new freight cars were put in
service and 1,998 new locomotives,
leaving 96,855 freight cars and 1,902
locomotives still on order July 1.
The nations carriers are doing their
part and pleading with the public to
do theirs in bringing about prompter
and more satisfactory freight and pas-
senger service.
Is it not time that we respond to
the call of the carriers?
——— A ———————
——Republican Senator Cameron,
for Arizona, may be as flippant as he
pleases about the farmers and other
workers devoting too “much time to
pleasure, “especially “flivvering,” for
we tax payers know that those far-
mers and other workers pay for their
own gas and tires; whereas the Cam-
erons in the Senate and House of Con-
gress, do their “flivvering” in special
trains and great government steam-
ships and the public foots the bills.
——The Republicans of Philadel-
phia have erected “keep off the grass”
| signs against chairman W. Harry Ba-
ker, of the State committee, who had
indicated a purpese to “butt in” on
the primary campaign.
ara ———— se ———————
——The blue sky law became effect-
ive on Wednesday and the peddlers of
oil and copper stocks of doubtful val-
ue would better “watch their steps.”
——We know exactly how much the
Leviathan earned on her first trip
but not a word has been said concern-
ing the aridity of the voyage.
| ——Subscribe for the “Watchman.”
AUGUST 3. 1923.
NO. 30.
| A Test of the Governor's Courage.
From the Philadelphia Record.
The anthracite coal miners and op-
erators lately in session at Atlantic
City to discuss a new contract have
split over the question of whether or
not the operators of coal mines shall
deduct from the wages of their em-
ployees the dues the latter owe to the
union.
The obligation of the operators to es-
tablish a “closed shop” by the process
of “complete recognition of the union”
demanded by the miners has been de-
nied by two arbitration bodies called
in to settle previous disputes. The
reasons for the denial are just as per-
tinent today as they were when S-
{ idents Roosevelt and Wilson interven-
Why are the miners able to insist
upon this arbitrary and unreasonable
demand ?
Because under the laws of this
State, ostensibly enacted for the pro-
tection of life, no one is permitted to
mine coal who has not been granted a
certificate obtainable only by protract-
ed experience in the mines. This law
gives the union members an absolute
monopoly of mining.
The law is doubtless in normal times
a good one, but it is being put to an
evil use. It is the weapon which the
miners use against the public.
If Governor Pinchot has the moral
courage to do the right thing at the
right time, he will immediately call a
special session of the Legislature and
ask it to pass a bill authorizing the
Governor to suspend the operation of
this law when and if public necessity
may require the operation of the
mines by persons not holding certifi-
cates.
Such a measure would break the
strangle-hold the miners have on the
throats of the public and-afford the
people some measure: of protection
against the bringing on of a coal fam-
ine to force the mine owners to col-
lect from their employees the union
dues which they are unable to collect
for themselves. . a
Has Governor Pinchot the nerve to
come to the rescue of the coal consum-
er at the risk of making himself un-
popular with the men who are getting
: ready to freeze us to death?
For East is East.
From the Villager.
How would you say it briefly if you
es bo Jeseribey the hae
which these ten years have wi 3
the though or goviining
oughts of men; what
iidea do you Think would ‘most ade-
quately express your understanding of
i the alteration? Would you select the
new idea of war? Of peace? the
new point of view concerning proper-
ity? Concerning the function of gov-
ernment? For our own part, we
should not pitch upon any of these;
we should instance as most eloquent
of the Zeitgeist the changed attitude
,of the western mind toward eastern
life; this seems to us to include all the
other changes. Ten years ago the
| west rated the east barbarian. Where
: the east resisted the western culture,
i the west said it was because of igno-
rance and superstition. This igno-
rance once conquered, the east once
educated to western ways, once the
eastern dark pierced by the sun of
: western trade, all would be easy sail-
ing and resistance at an end. That
was ten years ago. How much less
, sure of its message is the west today!
No longer is it certain that only igno-
rance and stupidity account for the
eastern hatred of western civilization,
no longer does the west think of the
east as outlandish, as inferior, as bar-
barian; it thinks of the east now as
different, positively, obstinately, per-
haps unalterably different. What is
of greatest importance in the whole
circumstance is that the new under-
standing does not derive as much
from a re-appraisal of the east by the
west as from the west’s re-appraisal
of itself.
1
Electing the Wrong Man,
From the New York World.
It is the ancient irony of politics
that when the cheering subsides after
an election the voters so often discov-
er that they have picked the wrong
man. It is so again in Minnesota. The
real dirt farmer is not Magnus John-
son, but his wife, and Mrs. Johnson is
not even going to Washington.
Mrs. Johnson managed the farm,
while her husband, - known to his
neighborhood as “Yenerally Speaking”
Johnson, traveled leather-lunging
through the countryside. She does not
talk much. It is her pride and that of
her children that they have only had
to hire outside help once during the
summer. “The boys run the farm and
the girls do the housework,” she says,
“while I take care of the garden and
the livestock and sort of manage
them. We've got along very well.”
Washington could use a few Sena-
tors who knew more about conducting
a farming venture than about talking.
There is already too much speaking,
general and otherwise, at both ends of
the capitol, and never enough admin-
istrative ability. “Yenerally Speak-
ing” Johnson will make himself heard
in office, but his wife might have ac-
tually accomplished something com-
parable to the planting and harvest-
ing of a crop on a 140 acre farm, or
milking seven cows before breakfast.
Unfortunately, it is too late. Once
more the voters have chosen the ora-
tiller of the soil. :
'——1It appears that Germany is
able to make progress in every thing
except paying what she owes.
tor of the family and passed over the.
SPAWLS FROM THE KEYSTONE.
—Caught by a reaper’s sharp knives
when clearing away weeds, ten year old
William Geist, son of John Geist, of Hen-
ningsville, Berks county, is in a critical
condition.
—Burglars entered the hotel of Patrick
Walsh, in Girardville, on Saturday night,
and removed the safe containing $300, jew-
elry and valuable papers. The robbery
was discovered by a clerk, who on report-
ing for work found the front door open.
—A six-inch army shell was supposedly
unloaded and bought as scrap exploded in
the furnace of the National Foundry plant
at Erie last Thursday, doing $50,000 dam-
age and forcing a shutdown of more than
ten days. Four hundred men at work es-
caped injury.
—Drilling for oil in Warren and Forest
counties has practically come to a stop be-
cause of the five cuts in crude oil prices that
have been made since April. The reduc-
tion in the price of Pennsylvania crude has
been accompanied by no cut in the price
of materials used in drilling wells.
—William P. Wilsen, who has been dis-
trict manager of the United Telephone
company eleven years, with headquarters
in Williamsport, on Wednesday of this
week became district manager of the
Huntingdon and Clearfield Telephone com-
pany, with headquarters at Clearfield.
—Planting eight bushels of onion sets
during the early spring, John R. Althouse,
of York county, has just harvested 16414
bushels, an average of 20% bushels to each
bushel of sets planted. Paying $1.08 per
bushel for the seed, he received $177.58 for
the entire crop, a met profit of $168.94.
—Francis Mitchell, a member of head-
quarters company, 110th regiment, Penn-
sylvania National Guard, was drowned on
Sunday afternoon while bathing in the
Conemaugh river near Greensburg. Mitch-
ell returned home from Mt. Gretna a week
ago where he attended the annual encamp-
ment.
—Mrs. Charles Altland, wife of a York
county farmer, has lived more than four
weeks with a broken back. The case is
puzzling local physicians. Mrs. Altland
was assisting her husband during the har-
vest season and fell from a load of hay.
An examination of her injuries revealed
that the third vertebrae of the spine is
broken.
—Sale of the controlling interest in the
Pittsburgh Press to Roy W. Howard, of
the Scripps-Howard newspapers, was an-
nounced last Friday by Colonel Oliver S.
Hershman, for twenty-three years owner
and publisher. The purchase price was not
announced but the figure is said to be the
largest ever paid for a single newspaper
property in the United States. Colonel
Hershman will continue as director and
holder of a minority interest in the Press.
—The New York and Pennsylvania Pa-
per company has been awarded $50,000 by
Judge Eugene H. Baird, of the Clinton
county courts, in the equity case brought
by the company against the New York
Central Railroad company to recover ex-
cess freight charges and value of coal and
$6,100 in an award of reparations by the
Public Service Commission, with interest.
The cases have attracted much attention,
both companies being represented by bril-
liant legal talent.
—The whereabouts of Jacob Auman,
an aged Selinsgrove resident, who disap-
peared from home more than a month ago,
still remains a mystery. Police far and
near are searching, but to date no word or
clue has: been given. He-had- lived at the
home of Mr. and Mrs. Irving Hendricks
the past nine years, and there is no reason
apparent for his disappearance. On the
day he left the Hendricks home he said he
was going over to the other part of the
town from the Isle of Que.
—Through years that were wet and years
that were exceedingly dry, ¥rank Covely,
of Pottsville, has kept a small flask of the
kind of liquor that improves with age, and
he thereby has kept a promise made twen-
ty-three years ago. At a party in 1900 he
received the flask from Mrs. C. O. Miller,
wife of the proprietor of the Bechtelsville
hotel, and he promised her he would not
open it until his forty-fifth birthday anni-
versary, when he would share the contents
with her. Covely faithfully kept his prom-
ise.
—Two murders occurred during the
week-end in Fayette county, one near Con-
nellsville Saturday, and the other Sunday
afternoon near Brownsville. Participants
in each case were brothers-in-law.. Sam
Zello was shot three times and killed dur-
ing a fight near Brownsville. Mike Marino,
his brother-in-law, was arrested, charged
with the crime as he appeared at the
Brownsville general hospital for treatment
of injuries. George Baker, a Negro, was
shot and killed Saturday at Trotter, near
Connellsville. Richard Thompson, also a
Negro, was arrested charged with the kill-
ing.
—Lightning last Wednesday struck the
house of George Hackman, of Springgetts-
bury township, York county, burning a
hole in the roof. In a bed directly beneath
where the bolt descended were two nieces
who were on a visit. The bolster on which
their heads rested was cut in two between
them, burning the girls. A post of the
bed was also burned off. The bolt contin-
ued into another room, burning off the four
posts of a bed. Ruth, seven year old
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Minnich,
of Emigsville, one niece, was seriously
burned. The other niece, Evelyn Minnich,
was also slightly burned.
—TF. P. Culver, said to be from Arizona,
escaped from the Mifflin county jail at
Lewistown early Sunday morning by dig-
ging a hole in the wall, according to a mes-
sage sent out by the Middle division po-
lice. The man had taken an automobile
from Mt. Union and later wrecked it, but
was held on a charge of operating an au-
tomobile while under the influence of
liquor. Culver is described as about 28
years old, five feet, ten inches in height,
and weighing 153 pounds. He has brown
hair and was wearing a blue serge suit,
tan shoes and a straw hat.. He is an au-
tomobile mechanic. He had been in jail
for two weeks.
—A beggar with hat in hand planted
himself before a movie theatre in Sun-
bury, Saturday night. The theatre man-
ager, J. M. Blanchard, saw people were
falling over themselves to throw in their
dimes and quarters, and that they were
being duped, and he ordered the . man
away. The beggar refused to go, so an of-
ficer put an end to his business. Much
sympathy was expressed by the spectators
for the beggar because of his apparent
crippled condition. On Suuday morning
the man appeared on Arch street, one of
the best streets of the city, but in a differ-
ent role. He sported a seven-passenger au-
tomobile with a New York State license.
When identified he soon quit the city.