«smoking compartment
Be
Deworraiic adm.
——————————————I
INK SLINGS.
— Cheer up! Ground hog day ap-
proaches and maybe he'll decide that
we need six more weeks of winter.
—Wheat is up to two dollars and
while we are not advising anybody to
sell we do assert that it’s a very good
price.
* —_The eclipse will be in first con-
‘tact at 7:58 tomorrow morning. At
‘9:11 it will be total and at 10:32 the
contact will end.
— President Coolidge thinks it isn’t
quite so reprehensible to be the man
with a little “on the hip” as it is to be
the boot-legger who supplies it.
—Congress has been in session
since early in December and nobody
is pointing with pride to anything it
has done, because it has done nothing.
—Surely the women are getting us
a place on the map. Since they start-
ed to smoke the grand old U. S. A. has
climbed to leadership of the nations in
the consumption of cigarettes.
— Wheat is still going up, but the
administration doesn’t have anything
to do with the rise. The world crop
is short. People must have bread and
those who can pay most for it get it.
—_The Hon. Holmes didn’t get much
by way of choice committee assign-
ments for his vote for Bluett, but then
new Members, like new councilmen,
usually draw little else than nuisance
committee assignments.
—The four horsemen of the Legis-
lature—Baker, Vare, Leslie and Grun-
dy, are in a fight to political death
among themselves, but before they
kill themselves off they'll be sure that
Pinchot’s ghost stays downed.
—The attempt of the Republican
Senators to white-wash Fall, Denby,
and their fellow conspirators in the
Teapot Dome scandal was frustrated
when the Insurgents joined with the
Democrats and adopted the Walsh re-
port.
If Vare and Grundy succeed in
chasing Harry Baker clear out of the
Republican councils in Pennsylvania
then, indeed, will the State need to be
pitied. Baker is a politician, of
course, but he’s not of the self-seek-
ing, “public be damned” kind that
Grundy and Vare are.
If any of our frieends are think-
ing of taking a nice long trip and pine
for a companionable traveler we in-
vite correspondence. Don’t start writ-
ing, however, until after you see 1n
this column announcement of the fact
that we have won one of the thousand
dollar cross-word puzzle contests.
We're all ready and set to go some-
where. We've made up the itinerary,
stored in the old bean a lot of good
ng. stories and all
that remains to be done is have our
only pair of trousers pressed and win
the thousand.
—Take a walk out to the Evangel-
ical church on Willowbank street.
Look carefully into what the commit-
tee in charge of that work has done
for $24,000 and then wonder, like we
do, why the hospital building program
can’t be carried to completion for
three times as much. The church
builders had excavation all the way 1n
solid rock and our guess is that they
have more cubic feet of building than
the hospital enlargement specifies. A
comparison of actual cost in the one
project with bids made for the other
is illuminating, to say the least.
—As a member of the committee
on.law and order of the Legislature
our Member again finds himself be-
tween the devil and the deep blue sea.
When the Governor's prohibition meas-
ures get before the committee Mr.
‘Holmes will have to go on record one
way or the other. It is significant
that in the first published nose count
on the wet or dry complexion of the
committee he was listed among those
counted “doubtful.” Where the Har-
risburg correspondents got the inspi-
ration for such a classification we
know not, but certainly it couldn’t
have come from Mr. Holmes, himself.
—The School of Education of The
Pennsylvania State College releases,
for this week’s publicity, this informa-
tion: “When a large majority of
Pennsylvania’s public school teachers
are not in the class room they spend
a good part of their time studying for
the improvement of their service to
the community.” We publish the
hopeful information hopelessly. No
one will believe that who knows more
about the public school teachers than
the School of Education at The Penn-
sylvania State College. Many teach-
ers are spending their time in the
class room, and out, hunting for a
word of three letters that describes
those of them who voted for Pinchot
because he was going to keep Finne-
gan, and the rest are working on oth-
er cross-word puzzles.
—Dr. Ellie Potter was probably
right when, in defending her regime,
she recently stated that State aided
hospitals had more money on which
to operate in 1924 than they ever had
before. She was certainly wrong
when she stated that her system of
accounting had anything to do with it.
That is a drain, not a help, to every
small institution in the State, for it
costs much and saves little. Further-
more, if any hospitals have had more
funds on which to operate since she
became the big cheese it hasn’t been
because she or Pinchot, as represnting
the State, furnished it.. It has been
because they have forced local boards
of trustees to make private room rates
well nigh prohibitive to any but the
‘can and keep
very rich and every community to
milk itself dry in order to make up
deficits.
>
“ =
emo
I
9
Vv
STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION.
70.
VOL.
Chairman Baker Bumped Again.
As might have been expected Re-
publican State chairman W. Harry
Baker got another rude bump in the
assignment of honors and favors of
the Legislature. He asked for the as-
signment of W. Clyde Harer to the
chairmanship of the committee on
Ways and Means and the bosses hand-
ed the plum to Philip Sterling, of
Philadelphia, a follower of ‘Grundy.
The Bucks county boss didn’t ask for
the appointment of Sterling. He urg-
ed the selection of Aaron Hess, of
Lancaster. But Sterling will serve
his purpose quite as well. He will op-
pose and prevent the effort to levy a
tax on manufacturers and thus defeat
the movement of the farmers to equal-
ize the burdens of the government.
This issue of a more or less acrimo-
nious conflict between Grundy and
Baker is necessarily humiliating to
the State chairman but as a matter of
fact he is not the principal victim.
The country members of the Legisla-
ture, who have been cruelly robbed of
a just share of the party favors, the
farmers who have been striving for
years to shift a fair share of taxation
from their shoulders to those others
much better able to bear them, and the
people of the State generally who be-
lieve in clean politics and equality in
burdens as well as opportunities, are
the real victims of the Grundy victo-
ry. It may cost Mr. Baker a brief
moment of disappointment. It will
cost them hard earned money.
Mr. Grundy has no sentimental in-
terest in politics. He serves no party
on the basis of principle. He is a Re-
publican because that party indulges
him in largesses that no other party
will tolerate. His fight against Harer,
for chairman of the House committee
on Ways and Means, was inspired by
Mr. Harer’s vote during the last ses-
sion in favor of a tax on manufactur-
ers. He is a millionaire manufacturer
and such a tax would exact from him
a considerable sum of money. With
an obedient chairman of that commit-
tee he may avoid that expense and
that is the measure of his obligations
as a citizen. His idea is get all he
all he gets. “Every fel-
tow for himself and the devil fake the
hindnfost.”
The solution of the problem of the
Ways and Meaans committee is not
exceptional. Every step in the organ-
ization of - the Legislature expressed.
the selfishness of the bosses. The
conquest of Governor Pinchot is final
and complete. He is a “dead duck in
the pond” and so mutilated as to serve |
It was |
as a deterrent in the future.
the hope of Vare and Grundy that
Baker might be similarly disposed of.
He is a Republican and a bitter parti-
san but not of their type. He would
justify his party faith by public serv-
ice if possible. They have no concep-
tion of such conduct. To them party
organization is simply a means to ac-
complish selfish purposes, - and a
bought majority is as good as an eara-
ed one.
—In a decision just handed down
by Justice Kephart, of the Supreme
court of Pennsylvania, we find the
following that every motor driver
might well ponder over: “Some au-
tomobile drivers imagine a ‘go’ signal
gives them a clear right of way” at a
street intersection. “The responsibil-
ity rests with the automobile drivers
so to handle their cars as not to in-
jure those walking across the street.”
EE
—When “Ma” Ferguson®was inau-
gurated Governor of Texas, on Tues-
day, she wore a gown of black kitten’s
ear satin. It was fitting that “Ma”
should go in in the garb of a kitten
because by the time she is ready to go
out most of the Texas women will
probably be saying: “Ain’t she the
cat.”
— At the annual meeting of the
First National bank of Philipsburg, on
Tuesday of last week, John E. Fry-
berger was promoted from the posi-
tion of cashier to president, while
George H. Barnes was elected cash-
ier and John C. Hoffer an assistant
cashier.
—— Without actual authority to!
speak for either we feel safe in pre-
dicting that the present Governor of
Texas will not give Governor Pinchot
her hat to throw into the ring.
The Memorial bridge at Har-
risburg, too long delayed, is under
discussion in the State capitol, but it
will probably have to wait until Pin-
chot retires.
——The Philadelphia “neck” and
the Pittsburgh “strip” are still work-
ing in harmony, and law-abiding leg-
islators are getting ready to call the
police.
——1It is whispered in the ‘inner
circles” that if the Governor would
throw his Secretary of the Common-
wealth overboard all might be for-
given,
BELLEFONTE, PA. JANUAR
Blame on Pinchot’s Head.
If, as now seems probable, the trend
of legislation runs in the direction of
“wet” interests during the present
session of the Legislature, the respon-
sibility will be on the head of Gover-
nor Pinchot. The Anti-Prohibition
News, a publication recently removed
from Shamokin to Harrisburg, in its
last issue declares that “Pinchot’s de-
feat in the Speakership fight indicates
no more enforcement bills will be
passed.” In other words, in the opin-
ion of this inspired organ of the boot-
leggers and rum-runners, the election
of Mr. Bluett, of Philadelphia, to the
office of Speaker of the House of Rep-
resentatives marked the end of legis-
lation favoring enforcement of pro-
hibition laws. |
If Governor Pinchot had invested
all his influence in support of the elec-
tion of Mr. Bluett to the Speakership
some other candidate might have been
elected, for the majority of the mem-
bership is openly against the Gover-
nor. But if he had joined his forces
with those of chairman Baker in sup-
port of Mr. Harer, of Williamsport,
the result could have been different.
Mr. Harer is as strongly in favor of
prohibition law enforcement as the
Governor’s candidate, Mr. Goodnough.
But the Governor refused to support
Harer and insisted on his own candi-
date, with the result that Bluett was
elected, which indicates that “no more
enforcement bills will be passed” at
this session of the Legislature.
Governor Pinchot pretends and
hopes the people will believe that he
was influenced to his action by a de-
sire to promote the interests of pro-
hibition legislation. But he will be
disappointed in this expectation. If
he had been concerned for prohibition
law enforcement he would have sup-
ported Harer, who had a good chance
of election. But his concern was foi
his own political estate and ambitions.
Harer is a good enough “dry” man
but not sufficieently servile to Pinchot,
and in order to prevent the election of
a dry man who was not wholly ser-
vile, or as the Governor puts it “loyal
to the administration,” he split the
dry vote and elected a “wet” candi-
date.” Tt-fs andther expression of hy- |
pocrisy. E
ee aes Ay Ace aan
——Nothing worries the machine
managers so much as the seeming un-
concern of the Governor. They say
Gifford is an’ accomplished actor or
else he knows his defeat is complete.
Warren Worth Bailey’s Contest.
At a public meeting held in Phila-
delphia last Thursday evening, one of
the speakers declared that “three of
the judges joined hands in the robbery
of Bailey because of blind partisan-
ship, if not corruption.” He referred
to the action of the Supreme court of
Pennsylvania in the contested election
case of Warren Worth Bailey and An-
derson H. Walters, of Johnstown. On
the unofficial returns Walters had a
majority. In computing the official
returns some ballot boxes were open-
ed with the consent of both judges,
and the count showed a majority for
Bailey. Lawyers for Walters then
protested that the court had no right
to open the boxes. One of the judges
thereupon reversed himself and the
court divided.
Another Republican judge was call-
ed in who joined with the Republican
on the bench and directed the certifi-
cate of election be issued to Walters,
the defeated candidate. Mr. Bailey
appealed to the Supreme court and
upon the question of jurisdiction that
court split even, thus defeating his
purpose. An appeal to the Supreme
court of the United States was subse-
quently dismissed on the ground that
it had no jurisdiction. In obedience
to the crder of the Cambria county
court a certificate of election was is-
sued to Walters and on the fourth of
March he will take the seat which has
been stolen by judicial process from
Mr. Bailey. It was against this out-
rage the Philadelphia speaker pro-
tested.
The custom from the beginning of
the government of the United States
has been to elect Congressmen at reg-
ular State elections and with the ma-
chinery and by the processes of con-
ducting State elections. The State
courts have always had authority to
open ballot boxes under certain con-
ditions and the law requires that the
certificate shall be issued to the can-
didate having a majority so determin-
ed. In the case in question all these
conditions were fulfilled but the cer-
tificate was issued, by partisan influ-
ence, to the defeated candidate. The
only remedy against this outrage is
an appeal to Congress and Democrat-
ic voters ought to contribute freely to
a fund to meet the expenses of such
appeal.
If W. Harry Baker isn’t careful
he will withdraw himself from public
life. :
Vv
———— A ————
—Read your own “Watchman” and |
zet all the news.
Coolidge Understands Borah.
President Coolidge is not likely to
be diverted from his purposes by the
rumored opposition of Senator Borah,
of Idaho, chairman of the Senate
committee on Foreign Relations. The
President’s mental eye doesn’t pene-
trate a millstone deeper than that of
the average man but his experience in
official Washington has taught him
that Senator Borah’s bark is more
menacing than his bite. The Idaho
statesman is a ponderous person and
like our own Governor Pinchot makes
loud professions of political independ-
ence. But that is the end of his re-
calcitration. After that he “roars as |
gently as any sucking dove.” He:
fools himself, probably, by thus pos-
turing, but deceives nobody else.
It is somewhat surprising that Sen-
ator Borah has been able to maintain
his pretense of independence so long.
During the Taft administration he
was always protesting and stood in
the Senate as a perennial interroga-
tion point but when Taft was nomi-
nated for re-election he promptly leap-
ed into a front seat on the band wag-
on and rendered yoeman service
against his former fellow-protestants,
Theodore Roosevelt and Hiram John-
son. In the recent campaign much of
the confidence of the LaFollette party
was based upon the expectation that
Borah would “roar so loud and thun-
der in the index” as to frighten the
Republican machine into a stampede
for shelter in the tall timbers.
But nothing of the kind happened.
Mr. Borah simply took his accustomed
place in the ranks of the expectant
place grabbers and even perverted the
investigation of the campaign expens-
es into a praise meeting of chairman
Butler's skillful and successful jug-
gling of figures. Mr. Coolidge wiil
not be scared at the shaking of Bor-
ah’s shaggy mane. He probably un-
derstands Borah and will lead him
peacefully and in the end contentedly
up to the “pie counter’ ’to browse in
rich pastures. The majority of Ber-
ah’s constituents being Mormons,
with two or more families to support,
a generous supply of public favors
fill prove hetero. and the Lord helps
ose who help themselves. ah
——The country members of the
Legislature are likely to learn more
about running a road roller in Harris-
burg than they ever dreamed of on the
farm. :
Highway Revenues to be Divided.
It may safely be predicted that the
Legislature will enact a law dividing
the revenues of the State Highway
Department with the cities of the
Commonwealth. Heretofore the pro-
ceeds of automobile licenses and oth-
er sources of revenues accruing to the
Highway Department have been ap-
propriated to the construction and
maintenance of state highways, leav-
ing the cities to take care of their own
streets. Four years ago Aaron Hess,
Representative for Lancaster, now
chairman of the committee on Roads,
introduced a bill providing that the
Department pay for a highway
through Lancaster city. It was de-
feated by the country members.
But the idea found favor in the eyes
of Representatives of the big cities.
Two years ago a Philadelphia mem-
ber offered a bill requiring the High-
way Department to contribute to the
cost of streets in all cities. That was
also defeated by a combination of the
country members. But the scheme is
still fondly cherished and ever since
the election the Representatives of
Philadelphia and Pittsburgh have been
striving to put such a measure across
this year. It is believed that it would
be a great boost for Vare and has
been cordially endorsed by Grundy
since his “unholy alliance” with Vare
was consummated.
And it may be added that the ma-
chinery to accomplish the result has
been set. Mr. Hess has been made
chairman of the House committee on
Roads and Clarence J. Buckman, of
Bucks county, Mr. Grundy’s “handy
man,” holds the same office in the
Senate, thus giving Grundy absolute
control of legislation affecting the
state highways. Grundy made pre-
tense that he wanted Hess as head of
the House committee on Ways and
Means in order to direct tax legisla-
tion. But it is now believed that was
only a jesture to mask his real pur-
pose to control highway legislation.
Vare’s man Williard will take care of
Grundy’s interests in tax legislation.
S———— I ————
—The reply of Secretary Hughes
to the complaints of Senator Hiram
Johnson is suggestive of a big stick
in the White House.
——The combine is working
smoothly at Harrisburg now but most
of the leaders are trembling for the
future,
There was no fight over dis-
pensing favors in the Senate. All the
Senators are under complete subjec-
Y 23. 1925.
tion.
NO. 4,
Bluett Shows His Hand.
From the Philadelphia Public Ledger.
Speaker Bluett, of the State House
of Representatives, has lost no time in
revealing the purposes for which he
was elected. His letter of thanks to
the Members is a naive disclosure of
a deliberate program to wage faction-
al warfare upon Governor Pinchot
from the very beginning of the ses-
sion. It is also a direct confirmation
of the report that it is the intention of
the Vare-Grundy-Leslie combination
to attempt to take full control of the
State budget by ignoring the recom-
mendations of the Administration in
the matter of the appropriations to
State owned and aided institutions.
This is to be accomplished by re-
versing the usual legislative proced-
ure with regard to the appropriation
bills. These measures have heretofore
been left to the end of the session, and
th bills themselves went to the Gover-
nor for the pruning process that was
inevitable under the old order. The
sessions having ended, the Governor
had the last word about the allotments
to the various institutions. But if the
bills are sent to him while the Leg-
islature is in session, he must sign or
veto them within ten days, and the
Legislature has then the opportunity
—if necessary votes can be mustered
—1to0 override the Governor’s veto, and
thus make its own will prevail over
Ya of the Executive in these mat-
ers.
It is plain, therefore, that when Mr.
Bluett calls upon the members of the
House to hurry up with their requests
for State money for hospitals and oth-
er State-aided institutions he is count-
ing on the ability of the Vare-Grundy-
Leslie coalition to command a majori-
ty sufficient to override a vefo. And,
of course, in asking the members to
perform a duty which the law specif-
ically imposes upon the budget officer
in the preparation of the budget, he
also has in contemplation the passage
of the supply bills in advance of the
day of adjournment so that opposition
from the Governor can be nullified.
It is plainly the purpose of Mr. Blu-
ett and those for whom he speaks to
ignore the recommendations of the
Executive concerning the charity ap-
propriations. If this means anythin
at all, it signifies a return to the o
vicious log-rolling system
appropriations went Ze
less, of : need and. >
lowances were granted or withheld as
a weapon over the heads of members
who showed any inclination toward in-
dependence and judgment. >
The success of this scheme depends
upon the power of the combine to
muster the necessary two-thirds to
override a gubernatorial veto. Wheth-
er they possess this power is still
doubtful. The budget principle is in-
volved, as well as the immediate in-
terests of the tax-payers, who must
pay when extravagance is the guid-
ing motive of legislation.
Show It in Worth While Results.
From the Pittsburgh Post.
The news that State Senator M. G.
Leslie, of Allegheny county, expects
to be an extraordinary figure in this
session of the Legislature will, of
course, set his opponents to renewed
efforts to thwart him. Irrespective of
factional or other political considera-
tions, however, it may be set down
now that leadership shows itself only
in the accomplishment of worth while
results. Mere bossism goes no fur-
ther than the attainment of selfish
ends.
Allegheny county today presents
many opportunities for the members
of its legislative delegation to distin-
guish themselves. There are such
prospective measures as those provid-
ing a jury system for this community
in keeping with its size and to do
away with duplication of work in the
assessment of taxes. If there is lead-
ership in the delegation it will show
itself in getting behind these meas-
ures. If there is no leadership mere
questions of patronage or matters of
factional prestige will be the main
consideration.
Whether it should be Mr. Leslie or
one of his opponents who furnishes
such a leadership, the one able to
bring about worth while results from
the public standpoint will be assured
of proper recognition.
Let such results settle the question
of leadership.
Arms Parley Not Viewed with Favor.
Fram the Philadelphia Record.
President Coolidge very naturally
feels that the European situation is
not favorable for an arms parley. If
any is called it could be called more
appropriately and with better prospect
of success by the League of Nations
than by a nation that would not join
the League. And Europe must com-
pose itself to a more pacific state of
mind before it will give much atten-
tion to a reduction of armaments or
the prohibition of international trade
in munitions. While the Allies remain
in possession of German soil, especi-
ally a part that the Versailles treaty
promised should be restored January
10, and Russia’s hand is against every
nation, and political conditions are un-
settled in Germany and Hungary, and
Rumania and Hungary are at odds
over Transylvania, the composition of
quarrels as they occur is the most that
could be hoped for. Even partial dis-
armament is not likely to receive gen-
eral and serious consideration.
—Subserite for the “Watchman.”
by which
AYO fegard-
al -
1
SPAWLS FROM THE KEYSTONE.
—Mayor Allen Sterner, of Lock Haven,
is under arrest for allowing gambling de-
vices on his property.
—The grocery store of Frank Hatko, of
Wilkes-Barre, was entered by burglars and
a 400-pound safe containing cash, jewelry
and checks amounting to $300 was remov-
ed. .
—On day after attending the funeral of
her son, Guy Ritchey, at Bennscreek, Cam-
bria county, Mrs. Elizabeth Ritchey, aged
75 years, of Blueknob, was found dead in
bed. “a
—His abdomen pierced by a protruding
pipe while he was riding on a motor in the
Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company's No.
12 shaft at Tamaqua, Wallace Sneddon,
aged 26 years, was instantly killed.
—James C. Duysart, Hollidaysburg phil-
anthropist, has given $67,500 to the Pres-
byterian Home for Aged Women in Holli-
daysburg, to complete the first unit of the
home, which will be named in his honor.
—John Dobson, of Mount Carmel, who
languidly admits that he is the laziest man
in the world, toiled this week. He was
sent to the Nerthumberland county jail
for failure to send his two boys to school,
and warden Reitz put him on the boiler
firing squad. Dobson and his family were
found quartered in an abandoned coal
mine near Mount Carmel.
—M. F. Hamill, 75 years old, cashier of
the Parkesburg National bank, which clos-
ed its doors October 3, after an alleged
shortage approximating $100,000 had been
discovered, was arrested on Monday at the
home of his son-in-law at Wayne, ra,’
Philadelphia suburb. The charge prefer-
red, at the instance of the Parkesburg
school board, was misappropriation = of
more than $5,500 of the funds of that body.
—Tdmund L. Cohick, aged 50 years, of
Williamsport, died on Sunday from car-
bon monoxide gas poisoning. Mr. Cohick
had spent the most of the morning in the
garage working on his car. He left the
house for that purpose about 9 o'clock. He
was able to go to the house and met his
wife at the door when she returned home
from Sunday school about 11 o'clock. He
informed her he was sick. He died about
1:50.
Willis C. Smith, 19 years old, of Wil-
liamsport, was arrested lasts week on
charges of wholesale coal thefts. Smith
was taken into custody while delivering
coal in the motor truck owned by the
company from which he was stealing the
coal. He is said to have “borrowed” the
truck nightly to make his deliveries and
had a large ‘order list’ ’ on his person
when taken into custody.
—The State Supreme court last week res
fused to grant a petition of a number of
defendants convicted in connection with a
fatal riot at Lilly, Pa. during a Ku Klux
Klan demonstration, for an appeal from
the decision of the Superior court. The
defendants were sentenced to two years
imprisonment each, by Judge Finletter of
Philadelphia, specially assigned to preside
at their trial in the Cambria county court
at Johnstown. y
—Falling from the cage as he was com-
ing out of the mine at the close of the
day’s work, John M. Antella, of Cresson,
dropped 300 feet to his death on Saturday:
evening at No. 9 shaft of the Pennsylva-
nia Coal: and Coke eeompany’s workings.
Four other workmen made the trip up-
ward with Antella. They did not know of
the accident until they had gained the sur-
face and discovered Anella was not in the
cage. Investigating they found his man-
gled body at the bottom of the shaft.
—Major David B. Simpson, a former
Philadelphia newspaper man, has taken up
his duties as the new commander of the
soldiers’ home at Erie, succeeding Captain
A. W. Anderson. The new commander of
the home saw plenty of action with the
Twenty-eighth division overseas, being a
captain and earning promotion in rank by
reason of his service. The first big task
confronting him in Erie is the reorganiza-
iion of the system under which the home
has been conducted. Present facilities
there are not modern.
—Burglars early on Monday broke into
the store of Paul Rupert, at Bloomsburg,
wheeled a safe out of the front door, load-
ed it on a truck and made their escape.
The safe contained $100 in -cash, a gold
watch, deeds and insurance - policies. "It
was the tenth time in the ‘past several
years that the store has been burglarized.:
Special officer Trump on his way home at
5 o'clock, reported seeing a truck . drive
away from the place, but was too far. away,
to identify. the occupants. He thought
nothing of the incidént and did not learn
of the burglary until later. #52 sh i
— Pleading guilty to embezzling more
than $12,000 from six building and loan as-
sociations, Thomas B. J. Kenny, 35 years
old, of Philadelphia, through counsel, con-
tended in quarter sessions court that he
had thereby done them a favor. Specula-
tion with the embezzled funds, his counsel
stated, had turned out successfully and
Kenny had repaid the entire sum together
with a bonus which the funds would other-
wise have never earned. Sentence was de-
ferred. In addition to his building and
loan association work, Kenny was a mail
carrier. Fr :
—While intently pouring over a Cross-
word puzzle on Monday night, Miss Vir-
ginia Martinette, 20 years old, of Charle-
roi, met her death when a pistol in the
hand of William Pehl, 26 years old, acei-
dentally exploded, according to police to
whom Pehl surrendered. Miss Martinette
had been visiting at the Pehl home and in
company with Mrs. Pehl, the arrested
man's wife, had been engaged in working
the puzzle. Pehl returned home during
the evening and, according to the story he
told police, he was twirling the pistol on
his finger when it discharged. The bullet
severed Miss Martinette's jugular vein antl
she died instantly. Pehl is being held by
the police pending an investigation.
——An old lawsuit was directed non-suit-
ed by the Northumberland county court on
Saturday. Ten years ago Mrs. Preston N.
Seyler disappeared from a Reading Rail-
way train near Snydertown while travel-
ing from Centre county to Pottstown. She
was last seen alive approaching a vesti-
bule of a day coach and later her body
was found along the tracks. Suit for $26,
000 damages was instituted and the case
dragged in the courts for a tenth of a cen-
tury. The conductor of the train has since
died and the court refused to admit a con-
versation between the conductor and a
brakeman relative to a vestibule having
been left open. Without this testimony
the case fell and a non-suit was entered,
as no evidence existed as to the cause of
the accident. ,