INK SLINGS.
——It may be safely said that the
Washington bootlegger shot the
wrong Senator.
—Talking about the cool in Cool-
idge poor Denby evidently got his
share of that too.
——The reports from Washington
are bad enough but according to news
writers “the worst is yet to come.”
—The Hon. Robert M. Foster, of
State College, is said to have his ear
to the ground listening for a call to
be a candidate for district delegate to
the National convention.
—Poor old Hen Cabot Lodge! Isn’t
he the snake’s elbow, the fine point of
nothin’ whittled down. What if Sen-
ator Walsh should ask him for the
loan of the dagger he so exultingly
stuck in the back of Woodrow Wilson.
—Between Mr. Mellon, millionaire
of Pennsylvania, and Senator Garner,
moderately circumstanced, of Texas,
we know who is trying to do the
greatest good to the greatest number.
Mellon’s plan relieves the burdens of
four thousand and Garner's helps
about one hundred and nineteen mil-
lion nine hundred and ninety-six to
get along a bit better.
—Of course the Democrats are sup-
posed not to say anything nasty about
the administration because of the as-
tounding revelations of the Teapot
Dome scandal—and they won't. All
the further they will go in disloyal
thoughts of our government is con-
juring up what the Republicans would
have said about the administration
had it happened to have been Demo-
cratic,
—Our dear Governor is recovering
from the effects of an operation on his
ear. Of coursse the sympathy of the
Commonwealth goes out to any one
afflicted as he has been and right here
we drop a couple of tears as big as
horse chestnuts— * *. They’d be big-
ger if we were not convinced that Gif-
fy didn’t keep his aural appendix on
the ground too long, straining to hear
a call to the Presidency.
—Let us see! Way back in the wet
spring of 37 we heard that it was
Alexander Hamilton who “smote the
rock of national resources and abun-
dant streams of currency flowed
forth.” In the exciting fall of 1923
and the early spring of ’24, we have
heard words like these: “Next to Ham-
ilton, Melion is the greatest Secretary
of the Treasury the country has ever
known.” Alex had his Aaron Burr
but Andy is away over in Armaged-
don yelling for help to saye him from
this Democratic fellow, Garner, of
Texas, who seems: to have framed a
tax bill that helps a lot of people who
are least able to bear the burden of
taxation.
—Eternally W. P. A. is after knowl-
edge. Last ‘week he wanted to know
when spring would be here and we
told him not until we had had the
“saplin bender, the poor man’s ma-
nure, the robin and the onion snows.”
Wednesday he turned up and wanted
to know what one of the stations we
put the flaky precipitation of that day
under. We admit being taken una-
wares. There was no satisfactory
answer in mind to give him, but since
a futile effort to pass the job of shov-
eling off two hundred and fifty feet of
side walk to two boys, one seven, the
other thirteen, we know what snow
Wednesday’s was. It was the back
bender.
—The conference in Chicago, the
fore part of this week, to decide
whether or not Mr. McAdoo should
continue in the race for Presidential
nomination has declared that there is
no reason why he should withdraw in
consequence of the unjust linking of
his name with the oil scandal. Here
let us make the same declaration,
though not from the same motives as
actuated the Chicago conference.
Nothing else was to be expected of
the personnel of that gathering. Many
of them had attached themselves to
the McAdoo banner for the sole rea-
son that they thought he would be a
winner and they would become dis-
pensers or devourers of plums. We
are not for McAdoo or any one else.
We are for the nominee of the New
York convention, but we do think that
McAdoo ought to stay in the race.
We don’t believe that he is tainted
with oil and we do believe that it is
his duty to himself to fight for vindi-
cation in the great convention of his
party.
—If it be true that Mr. Gray in-
tends to give up the chairmanship of
the Democratic county committee, as
is rumored, a new county chairman
will have to be elected at the April
primary. Democrats in all parts of
the county should carefully take ac-
count of stock with a view to locating
a man with the ability and determina-
tion to take advantage of the great
opportunities that are apparent. There
is better spirit among the members of
our party than there has been for
some years. And all that is needed
now is the right man to mould it into
a cohesive, fighting force for success.
Mr. Gray has laid the foundation very
well and if he should decide that he
cannot give further time to the serv-
ice we should exercise great care in
the selection of the man who is to
build on it. We have heard the name
of former County Commissioner W.
H. Noll Jr. associated with the office.
Certainly. he would make a splendid
chairman but we have also heard that
Mr. Noll is. considering the matter of
becoming a candidate for the Legis-
lature.
an
Tene
\
py
STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION.
VOL. 69. BELLEFONTE, PA
Denby Has Resigned.
The resignation of Secretary of the
Navy Denby came as a surprise to the
public. Within a week he had posi-
tively declared that he would not re-
sign and the President had encourag-
ed him to this frame of mind by tell-
ing the Senate to mind it’s own busi-
ness. But on Monday he did resign,
giving as a reason for the action that
his “continuance in the cabinet would
increase your (the President’s) em-
barrassments.” But he took pains to
say that neither the President nor any
one else has at any time advised him
to resign. Current rumors contradict
this statement. It is freely asserted
that both the President and others
have given him such advice.
The resignation of Mr. Denby is no
more surprising than the failure of
Assistant Secretary Roosevelt to re- !
sign. It is widely believed that
Roosevelt was the brains of the de-
partment, and it is reasonably certain
that the assistant secretary was much
| closer to the lessee of the property
than his chief. It has even been as-
serted that the appointment of Roose-
velt was made at the request of Har-
ry Sinclair, and by a singular coinci-
dence Sinclair took Mr: Roosevelt's
brother, Archie, into his employ at a
liberal rate of compensation. If Den-
by is uncommoniy stupid, as seems to
be generally admitted, and Roosevelt
mentally = alert, it might easily be
shown that the wrong man has Ye,
signed. i
The attitude of the President in the
matter is also somewhat peculiar. In
his letter to Denby accepting the res- |
ignation, he writes, “it is with regret
that I am to part with you.” A Wash-
ington correspondent to the Associat-
ed Press recalls that in almost similar |
language President Taft accepted the |
resignation of Ballinger after he had
disposed of all the available timber
land to speculators. It was subse-
quently shown that Taft had asked
for the resignation and it is now be-
lieved that Coolidge has done the
same . thing. In ‘any event itis a
strange mix-up and may be the begin- |
ning of a series of exposures which
will shock the country.
i
The Literary Digest publishes
a list of “members of the Wilson cab- |
inet said to have had oil connections |
after leaving office.” An appropriate !
cempanion picture would be a list of
members of the Harding cabinet. who
had oil connections while in office. |
Opposition to Pinchot Dwindling. |
1
The bottom seems to have dropped
out of the movement to defeat Gov- |
ernor Pinchot for delegate-at-large to
the Cleveland convention. It. began
with a mighty roar. Dave Lane, Bil- |
ly Campbell and a few others in Phil- |
adelphia declared that they would
never consent to such a degradation |
of a valued party favor. Such offices
belonged to the party saints and Pin- |
chot was a rank heretic. From the |
west end of the State, Senator Max |
Leslie raised a voice of protest and
Frank McClain, . of Lancaster, was |
unanimously chosen field marshal of |
the force. But it is no longer vocif-
erous or even amusing.
The trouble is that the creators of
the movement have been disappointed.
They fully expected that some stal-
wart millionaire would come forward
and open a well filled purse. The in-
vitation to such an angel was cordi-
ally given and loudly announced. But
the only response came from Mr.
Straasburger, of Norristown, and it
was expressed in wind. He is elo-
quent in boasting of his liberality in
the past but said nothing of the ne-
cessities of the present or the require-
ments of the future. That was the
discouraging feature of the matter.
The Mackrels, of Pittsburgh, and the
Campbells, of Philadelphia, want
something substantial to feed on.
The truth is that Pinchot’s agree-
ment with chairman Baker and Con-
gressman Vare to retain their follow-
ers on the pay roll took all the ginger
out of the stalwart opponents of the
Governor. If Straasburger had open-
ed his purse, as he was expected to
do, it might have been different. The
opposition to Pinchot is widely dif-
fused and easily aroused. But there
must be an incentive and in the ab-
sence of spoils and funds it lies dor-
mant. Unless something practical is
done . within a short period of time
Pinchot will be elected, and that ac-
complished he may cavort in the con-
vention according to his fancy.
—Some of the Teapot Dome con-
spirators may have voted the Demo-
cratic ticket occasionally, but none of
those in public office was a Democrat.
Teddy and Archie Roosevelt
were tolerably close to Mr. Doheny,
but thus far no odor of oil has come
from their garments.
In fixing the time for his resig-
nation to become effective Secretary
Denby may have thought of a chance
“to do it again.”
Change of Doubtful Wisdom.
A great many Pennsylvania Demo-
crats will regret, and a good many
will resent, the action of State chair-
man Austen E. McCullough in. tak-
ing the choice of the Pennsylvania
member of the National committee
out of the power of the voters of the
party and vesting it in the hands of
the State committee. It may be true
that he has a legal right to thus alter
the custom of the party. But the wis-
dom of exercising the right is cer-
tainly doubtful. The principles of
the party are expressed in the voice
of the people. “In the multitude of
counsellors there is wisdom” as well
as safety. The party has been get-
ting along fairly well under the old
rule. It was acquiesced in universal-
ly.
We recall no period in the recent
history of the Democratic party when
there was greater reason for wisdom.
The bitter factionalisms of the past
had been largely wiped out. The par-
ty is approaching a great contest un-
der the most hopeful auspices. No
complaint had been made publicly
against the system of selecting a
member of the National committee
which has prevailed ever since the
adoption of the uniform State-wide
primary law. There are no percepti-
'ble reasons for apprehending dissat-
isfaction from it in the future. An
election by the people or an expres-
‘ sion of preference by the voters ought
to give a valid title to an office. It
has always done so in the past.
Chairman of the Democratic State
committee is an important office.
Some very distinguished men have oc-
cupied and served the party with
great ability and fidelity. Mr. Me-
Cullough has maintained the tradi-
tions of the office. He has worked
earnestly and efficiently for the suec-
cess of the party. But none of his
‘ predecessors attempted to revolution-
ize the customs of the party and there
are no apparent reasons why he
should do so. If he believes the
change he has ordered is desirable he
should have submitted it to the vot-
ers for determination. His action is
too much like “bossism” to suit Dem-
ocrats,
picion of a “frame up,” and such sus-
picions do harm. - : ue
Congressman Woodruff, of
Michigan, believes that if the Mellon
bill is passed one hundred million dol-
lars can be raised for the Republican
campaign.
gle on the subject.
Mr. Fall’s Refusal to Testify.
The refusal of the former Secre-
tary of the Interior to testify in the
Senate investigation of the Teapot
Oil scandal was to be expected. On
the witness stand and subject to cross
examination, his evidence might have
been converted into a serious indict-
ment against the party. Most of the
members of the President’s cabinet
are already “hooked up” in the affair
and a complete disclosure such as Mr.
Fall might be compelled to make
might bring some other important
leaders, including the slated candidate
for President, under suspicion. Mr.
Fall’s excuse for refusing to testify
was somewhat weak. But it appears
to have served the purpose for the
time being.
It is true that a defendant in crim-
inal court may not be compelled to
testify if his evidence would incrim-
inate himself. But an investigating
committee is not a criminal court and
a witness before an investigating
committee is protected by a law which
provides that testimony given before
a committee cannot be used against
the defendant in any criminal court
proceedings which follow. But in this :
case it is not a criminal court proceed-
ing to be subsequently begun that is
feared. It is the great tribunal of
public opinion that is dreaded. The
evidence which former Secretary Fall
might give if he would testify frank-
ly would probably make the Republi-
can party of the country odious.
Even at that Mr. Fall might as well
tell “the whole truth.” Senator
Walsh is after the facts with a deter-
mination that will bring them to the
surface in spite of Fall. Moreover
the evidence of Doheny and others,
already in possession of the commit-
tee, is sufficient to send Fall to jail
and all he can accomplish by refusing
to testify is the protection of others
high up in the Republican party.
Probably he may imagine that that is
sufficient reason to keep his lips seal-
ed. But neither Doheny nor others
who have testified showed great con-
cern for the safety and liberty of Fall.
They have pilloried him as a criminal
and left him to get out of his troubles
as best he can.
——Senator Willis assures the
country that Attorney General Daugh-
erty “is as clean as a hound’s tooth.” |
Maybe he had in mind a wolf hound.
Possibly Mr. Pinchot has been
holding his ear too long and too close
to the ground. ;
+ FEBRUARY 22,
Besides it justifies the sus-
That suggests a new an-
Pinchot ‘Soe a Hope.
The indications are that Governor
Pinchot has begun to realize that out
of the miserable oil mess in Washing-
ton there may be drawn an opportuni-
ty to revive his ambition to be the Re-
publican candidate for President. No
charge has been made that implicates
President Coolidge in the corrupt
transaction or asperses his character.
But his stubborn support of the in-
volved members of the cabinet, Secre-
tary of the Navy Denby and Attorney
General Daugherty, has alienated
hundreds of thousands of voters who
were friendly and the party leaders
are plainly showing distrust of his
availability as a candidate. In this
unexpected development Governor
' Pinchot discerns a hope.
When chairman W. Harry Baker,
with the assent of Senators Pepper
and Reed, agreed to place Pinchot’s
name on the slate for delegate-at-
large a condition was made that the
, Governor would not be a candidate for
the nomination or openly support any
other candidate not approved by the
organization. It was also agreed that
the four or five hundred followers of
the Baker-Beidleman machine already
on the State pay roll be retained.
. This seemed to be a fairly geod deal
on both sides. Pinchot felt that he
| was keeping himself alive in politics
“and Baker was feathering his politic-
al nest. But the oil explosion has
changed everything. It has made
conservation rather than prohibition
| the paramount issue.
Now everybody knows that Presi-
, dent Coolidge is not a conservation-
i ist while the knowledge that Pinchot
: is, is equally well understood. He has
‘a certificate from the late Colonel
Roosevelt, and that is easily the
“gnat’s eyebrow” on the subject. He
was the Roosevelt “right arm” in the
fight against Ballinger during the
Taft administration and out of that
conflict grew the Bull Moose party,
the Washington party and several
other factional organizations that put
the faithful out of the pasture for
eight long lean years. In the light of
these facts Mr. Pinchot sees a grand
opportunity not only to squelch the
: Yisania. machine. but. to sestore
elf to the center of the stage.
hims
1 - .
| ——The President congratulates
Denby on the fact that “his honesty
and integrity have not been impugn-
ed.” Only his stupidity has been con-
demned.
Vanderlip a Slanderer.
\
{ It would be difficult to imagine a
more despicable figure than Mr. Frank
A. Vanderlip appeared as he emerg-
ed from the Senate committee inves-
tigating the oil scandal the other day.
In a speech delivered before a local"
organization at Ossining, New York,
a couple of days before, he made a
covert charge that an excessive price
had been paid in the purchase of Pres--
ident Harding’s newspaper and that
the money had been provided by the
oil speculators who were swindling
the government. The inference con-
veyed was that Mr. Harding had thus
shared in the spoils of the conspiracy
to rob the government. Fora
| Mr. Vanderlip had taken great
pains to give his statement wide pub-
licity. He called in a reporter of the
| New York Tribune in advance of the
delivery and read the proof of his
statement after the delivery. He:
i fully realized the importance of the
statement as a news feature and the
effect of it upon the public mind as
the reputation of the former Presi-
dent. But he was utterly regardless
of the consequences. It gave him a
brief period in the lime light, a short
time in the centre of the stage, and
that seems to have been all that he
cared for. : :
Under oath before the committee
he acknowledged that he had no re-
liable information on the subject. He
had heard rumors which were damag-
ing to a man of consequence and he
| availed himself of the first opportu-
nity to spread it where it would do
; the. most harm. Happily his purpose
| was disappointed. The press and the
public promptly and with considerable
emphasis repudiated the slander upon
a dead man and condemned the slan-
.derer. It seems that Vanderlip had a
personal grievance against some one
in public office and imagined he could
get even by his cock-and-bull story
about Harding’s newspaper.
——That weather prophet of. New
| York State who predicted a foot: of
snow on Tuesday and Wednesday of
this week came nearer hitting the
bull’s eye than the average prognos-
. ticator. While an inch or two either
| above or below that mark would make
| little difference the writer personally
, can qualify to finding enough of it to
shovel when he tackled the job at 5:30
o'clock on Wednesday morning with
about eight hundred square feet of
walks and pavements ahead, of him.
The one thing we ask now is that it
goes away gradually so as not to put
Spring creek on another rampage.
1924.
well as the damage it would cause to:
NO. 8.
The Old Red Herring.
From the Philadelphia Record.
Republican papers, seeking to draw
a red herring across the trail of the
Senatorial investigating committee,
continue to refer to it as a “lynching
bee” because it has been unusually
successful in finding victims. Inas-
much as the committee is composed
lican chairman, Senator Lenroot, this
uncomplimentary reference to it may
seem remarkable, but still it persists.
Here, for instance, is that loyal G. O.
P. sheet, the New York Tribune, de-
claring that “one could almost mark
the day on which the proceedings
turned from a fair-minded investiga-
tion into a yipping pursuit of parti-
san blood in the best traditions of a
Southern lynching * * * No one
above ground or below ground was
beyond the reach of innuendo. The
real lynching spirit showed itself in
the desire to lynch somebody, any-
body, everybody in any way, nearly or
remotely, related to the supposed
crime.”
What rot! The impelling spirit in
this investigation is Senator Walsh,
of Montana, a lawyer of high repute,
and to him the American people owe
an immense debt of gratitude for the
patient and persistent manner in
which he has run down faint clues and
brought to light the most hideous
scandal in the history of the United
States. He has acted entirely without
partisan animus, and certainly cannot
be blamed if more Republicans than
Democrats have been caught in the
G. O. P,, but is no evidence of a lynch-
ing spirit. If the Republican mem-
bers of the committee had taken their
responsibilities and duties more ser-
iously they could have carried off the
honors that have fallen to Mr. Walsh
and have claimed for their party the
credit of exposing grave evils, no
matter who might be hurt. Instead
of that, they went about their work
perfunctorily and failed to accomplish
anything.’
If the exposures now being made
are a lynching, let us have lots more
of such summary justice. The pres-
ent investigation is not being conduct-
ed in lawless fashion, and if reputa-
tions are being blasted daily it is only
because, through the orderly process-
es of the law, they deserve the pil-
lorying they are receiving because of
wrong-doing. ; “gm
ee esestaanane. i
The Crusading Spirit.
From the Philadelphia Public Ledger.
The British Cabinet has decided not
to follow the United States in recog-
nizing the Mexican government, as
has been the custom in such cases.
The reason given is that the stability
of the Obregon regime is not yet as-
sured and that therefore the course
adopted toward Russia of shaking
hands first and talking over differ-.
ences afterward is not expedient.
The real reason is rather plain.
There is little doubt now that the De
la Huerta rebellion is entering its last
phase and that the power of Obregon
has been sustained. But there is a
movement. among the reactionaries in
Mexico to prevent the election of Ob-
regon’s man, Elias Calles, also the
mahatma of the Mexican Labor party.
The British Labor government, in
fine, is likely to favor, whenever pos-
sible, labor parties in other countries.
John R. Brown, a member of the
British Labor party and general sec-
retary of the International Federation
of Trades Unions, the man who has
been spoken of as British Ambassa-
dor to Mexico, has just returned from
an investigation there. He believes
that the Mexican “Facisti” will try
to take power from the Labor party,
and asserts in so many words that the
British Labor party is interested in
preventing it.
He moreover announced, just before
sailing from New York the other day,
that a group of British Laborites,
headed by J. H. Thomas, the Colonial
Minister, would next August come to
Mexico for the purpose of lining up
the ‘Mexican Labor party with the
British and European movements. He
also mentioned they would try to do
the same thing with the American
Federation of Labor. °
Meddling of this sort can be viewed
only as an unhealthy symptom. It
indicates a crusading spirit a little too
nearly akin to bolshevism. The rul-
ing group of the British Labor party
realizes it has its hands full govern-
ing Britain. But there is a fringe
that is not content to remain within
its national boundaries. It is this
fringe that Ramsay MacDonald will
have trouble to control. Crusaders
have always proved prime factors in
upsetting the peace of nations.
Why the Slump?
Irom the Pennsylvania Farmer.
Indications are that farmers’ meet-
ings and organizations, especially
those of a social and educational na-
ture, are suffering by non-attendance
in these days. In many places where
there was once a strong Grange, far-
mers’ club or union it is now impos-
sible to get a quorum. What’s the
matter? Have they outgrown their
usefulness, or has the almost univer-
sal jazz spirit permeated our rural
sections also and interrupted serious,
constructive thought? In most places
nothing better has taken the place of
the former organizations. Some peo-
ple have answered us that it is due to
the automobile, the great use of which
takes folks away from home and com-
munity. Others say that people are
, seeking other and better sources of
recreation and instruction.
mainly of Republicans, with a Repub-’
dragnet. That is a misfortune for the.
SPAWLS FROM THE KEYSTONE.
~The citizens of Tower City and vicini-
ty are filing a petition to stop the placing
of bear on the mountains south of the
Williams, Lykens and Clarks valleys.
—William Henry Stumpff, 62 years old,
was instantly killed at the John Miller
sand works near Burnham on Friday. He
attempted to knock the icicles from a pul-
ley operating the washer screens, when he
slipped and was caught in the pulley and
his neck was broken.
— The Farmers’ and Merchants’ National
bank, of Tyrone, on Friday won its civil
suit to recover $8,000 with interest from
the Cadillac Sales company, of Hunting-
don, the verdict being returned at 2
o'clock after a trial lasting four days. The
suit was based on a note executed by the
late C. A. Vuelli.
—John Sokolowski was caught beneath
a heavy fall of roof rock while at work in
the Hopkins mines, near DuBois, on Sat-
urday, and was instantly crushed to death.
Sokolowski was a member of a gang that
was lifting rails. His body was pinned
beneath tons of rocks and over two hours
were required to recover it.
—John Ferguson, of Phoenixville, is no
doubt, the world’s champion onion eater,
as he takes as part of his diet about four-
teen onions each day, or an average of 392
in a month. This makes his yearly total
4704, and in the last thirty years he has
digested about 141,120 onions, or about 195
bushels. He has never been sick one day
in his life.
—Roy Harris, of near Lock Haven, is in
the Clinton county jail in default of $500
bail charged with pointing and discharg-
ing a firearm at his neighbor, John Rote,
the bullet passing through Rote’s shoe top
and grazing the flesh. A second shot went
wide of the mark. Harris alleges that
Rote charged him with a shovel, and he
fired in self defense.
—A plot believed to have been an at-
tempt to effect a jail delivery at the Nor-
thumberland county prison on Sunday,
was frustrated when jail attaches searched
the clothing of three suspicious looking
visitors who called to see Samuel Lucifer-
no, a Kulpmont murderer now serving a
long term, revealing two automatic revol-
vers, a magazine of bullets, and a sharp
razor. Th® men were all held pending an
investigation.
| Mrs. Walter Lloyd, of Pottsville, was
seriously burned last week by an explo-
sion of flour dust when she was pouring
a quantity of spoiled flour down a garbage
chute. The dust exploded with the same
force that has sometimes been witnessed
in mills, and the flames coming up the
chute set Mrs. Lloyd's dress on fire. Be-
fore neighbors could extinguish the fire
she was terribly roasted. The explosion
tore doors off their hinges.
—TFound lying unconscious along the
state highway between Shamokin and
Mount Carmel early Saturday morning,
Samuel Gringo, of Centralia, claimed that
he had been set upon by three unknown
men the night before and robbed of $75.
He suffered from exposure but was not
badly injured. Gringo had visited an Bx-
change pool room, ae said, and while
there flashed a roll of bills. He was at-
tacked while walking from Exchange to
Mount Carmel.
—After a roll of bills amounting to $02
‘had been tramped under foot in the barn-
yard of John Murowski, of mear Latrobe,
for a year, the.United States Treasury De-
partment will be called upon to redeem
| them. Murowski lost the roll, in the first
place, while he was milking a cow, the
monéy having slipped from his right hand |
hip pocket. Last Wednesday, while work-
ing about the barn, he kicked up the roll,
badly mutilated and with the numerals all
but obliterated.
—No word has been received of N. A.’
Steffly, a Hartleton farmer, who disap-
peared three weeks ago. He is known to
have had several hundred dollars in his:
possession, and his safety is feared for by
relatives. He wrote a letter to his son,
Eli, of Juniata, saying: “Where I am
going ¥ will need no money,” and directed
the son to dispose of his assets and turn
the money over to his wife. Steffley, who
was 67 years old, was last seen in Nor-:
thumberland January 28th.
_ Frank Baker, of Lock Haven, has sued
H. C. Carter, assistant steward of the Fra-
ternal Order of Eagles of that place, for
false arrest in connection with the theft of
$392.75 from the rooms of the lodge re-
cently, which officers of the lodge claimed
Mr. Baker had taken. At a subsequent
hearing before © Alderman William Rath-
gebér, Baker was afterward cleared of the
charge, but feels that the mental agony
and blot sustained to his reputation can
only be appeased by $1,000 damages, which
will in part reimburse him for the expense
he has been put to in defending himself in
the affair.
—(Clarence I. Kendall, 19 years of age,
of Greencastle, Franklin. county, was
awarded a verdict of $1138.33 by a jury in
Common Plbas court for injuries suffered
he says, when he was kicked by Wilbur
Rahauser, also of Greencastle. Kendall's
father, George W. Kendall, was awarded
$764 for loss of his services. It was testi-
fied that Clarence Kendall is extremely
susceptible to tickling which made him a
target for jests of men gathered in a store
he had entered to make a purchase. Ken-
dall enraged, struck Rahauser, who in turn
kicked him. The injury necessitated a
surgical operation. ‘
District State Forester Walter Leach,
of Mount Union, has located in Brady
township, Huntingdon county, what is be-
lieved to be the biggest sassafras tree in
Pennsylvania. It stands along the state
highway near Airydale and measures ten
feet, eight inches in circumference, breast
high. The tree is bigger than the historic
sassafras in Harrisburg, which is believed
to be over 200 years old. Another big tree
in Brady township is an American elm on
the property of E. C. Metz, Allensville,
which is more than sixteen feet in circum-
ference and is over eighty feet high, with
a branch spread of sixty feet.
—John Greim; of Shinglehouse, Potter
county, was found dead in his chair by the
stove, recently, while his wife was on a
visit to relatives in Ohio. XEver since his
death the widow has been searching the
house for some valuable papers and bonds
she knew her husband to have had. She
made inquiry at every bank for many
miles around, but no bonds were located.
Calling in her brother, Louis Schmidt, for
advice, he hit upon the idea that the de-
ceased man may have secreted them in the
cellar, as several days previous to ' his
death he had been speaking of the cellar
to Schmidt. They began searching the
cellar, decided to dig up the floor, and
there carefully folded in an old tin can
they located $13,000 worth of bonds and
{ the valuable papers.