INK SLINGS.
——Hindenburg now realizes that
“peace hath her victories not less re-
nowned than war.”
- —Centre county gave one soldier-
sheriff a majority of 3531 in 1923.
Let us give “Dep” Dunlap a bigger
one next month. =
—“Vote the straight ticket” is the
advice already being mailed to the
Republicans of the county. Lots of
them, however, would like to know
Just how straight the ticket is.
—We’ll all admit that Roy Wilkin-
son has been a nice, courteous official
in the Prothonotary’s office, but we all
know that “there’s just as good fish
in the sea as have ever been caught.”
——The “hooded reign of terror”
in Alabama is to be investigated.
Now if the “hooded reign of polities
in Indiana” should be thoroughly
probed a vast improvement might fol-
low. LO ag
—Give Senator Scott a Judge, a
Prothonotary and a Treasurer of Cen-
tre county and he’ll do the rest. As
our Senator he’s all right, but it
would spoil him if he were made our
“boss.
—We have a kind of hazy idea that
the court house and jail are public
property and we don’t quite under-
:stand where Wilkinson and Dukeman
‘get the notion that they were amilt
for their exclusive occupancy.
—-Sinie H. Hoy came so near get-
ting into the Recorder’s office four
years ago that just the least little bit
of a boost would have shoved him in.
Let us give him a big boost this time,
"The office needs a man like Sinie.
—We want to serve notice right
here to those who will know only too
well what we refer to that if we hear
of any whispering around about the
“wet” and “dry” question, as it might
apply in the present campaign, we're
going to unspike some guns that
might cause consternation in many
camps.
—Incidentally, Mr. Fleming hasn't
been treated at all shabbily by the Re-
publican party. He has been a mem-
ber of the county board of road and
bridge surveyors ever since he was
admitted to the bar and district ref-
eree in bankruptcy for at least ten
years, and the latter position is one
of the best political “snits” we know
of.
"—Having refused to be steam roll-
ered out of a chance to run for the of-
fice of county treasurer by the Scott-
Fleming-Holtzworth-Wilkinson com-
bination Charles P. Long is going to
run independently. Mr. Long may not
get far, but he will, at least, give mem-
bers of his party who resent. Vare
methods in Centre county an oppor-
tunity to go on record with their
votes.
—Among the others who evidently
‘think they have a divine right to be
permanently attached to the public
‘pay-roll is our chief of police. Mr.
Dukeman has been filling public posi-
tions for many, many years and now
‘he thinks he ought to repeat in the
sheriff’s office. Don’t you think “Dep”
Dunlap ought to have a dish of the
“pap” before “Dukie” gets a second
"helping ?
—The longer a man lingers in a
soft place the longer he wants to
‘linger there. He just naturally gets
‘the ‘habit. Mr. Wilkinson has had
eight years in the Prothonotary’s of-
fice and taken down approximately
fifty-six thousand dollars in emolu-
ments. Give him four years more and
put the machine, in which he is a cog,
in power in Centre county and he will
stay there as long as he wants. We
have no objection to anybody’s get-
ting all ‘they can get, but we have a
heart for other Republicans who
might have ambition and ability
enough to be Prothonotary of Centre
county some day.
—It is not often that clippings
from other papers break into this
column, but
week’s Republican deserves wider
publicity than Mr. Secretary Dor-
worth’s organ has circulation to give
it. We thank the friend who called
our attention to it. Otherwise we
might have gone on our way oblivious
of ‘the rare gift the Secretary of
Forests and Waters has of revealing
his own character in the pen pictures
he paints of others. The only sting
we could possibly get out of it is that
since its spirit is such a perfect
likeness of him we should not be
flattered if some should think it a
likeness of us as well.
A PREFERENCE OF HANDICAPS.
It is no doubt true, as the Editor
of the “Democratic Watchman”
says, that the Editor of “The Re-
publican” has some enemips who
didn’t vote for Judge Furst.
Even so, the Editor of this par-
ticular newspaper never helped
wreck a bank, and thereby contribut-
ed toward robbing innocent deposi-
tors of "life-time .savings, driving
aged, helpless men and women to
their graves, sending others tv in-
sane - asylums, causing still others
extreme poverty and distress, and
then sneaked through the back door
into court to prevent depositors re-
covering what rightfully belongs to
them. :
Far better to have a few friends
and some = enemies—yea, even a
host of enemies—than to have te
face one’s conscience at night—
every night—and realize that one
“is "justly despised by most persons
and has deservedly lost the respect
«of all.
really a gem in last
STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION.
Corrupt and Proud of It.
Some years ago a somewhat prom-
inent sociologist described Philadel-
phia as “corrupt and contented.” His
survey of the community revealed a
condition that justified such an as-
persion. A corrupt political machine,
created and supported by a meager
minority, was robbing the public, de-
spoiling the city and exploiting the
resources of the people. It was clear
to his mind that this sinister influence
might easily be overthrown if the bet-
ter element of the population would
move to that purpose. But the bet-
ter element was indifferent. The men
and women who were honest and fair
in their relations with other affairs
would not take the trouble to make
even protest against the political ini-
quities about them.
Because of the corrupt government
and the indifference of the people the
the city of Philadelphia was anathe-
matized as “corrupt and contented.”
That was bad enough, but what is to
be said of the State of Indiana. Once
as justly proud a Commonwealth as
any in the sisterhood of States, In-
diana could boast of the eminence of
her public men. Benjamin Harrison,
twenty-third President of the United
States; Thomas A. Hendricks and
Thomas R. Marshall, Vice Presidents,
and Daniel W. Voorhees, “Tall Syca-
more of the Wabash,” were names to
conjure with. But recently one Gov-
ernor of the State has been released
from the penitentiary and his suc-
cessor, now in office, is under indict-
ment and certain to go there.
Not long ago the Republican party
boss, D. C. Stephenson, was convict-
ed of a most atrocious murder and
is serving a life sentence in the peni-
tentiary. He is not appealing but de-
manding pardon and threatening ex-
posure of other crimes and criminals
if it is not granted. The other day
the Mayor of Indianapolis, J. L. Du-
val, Republican, was indicted by the
grand jury for corruption in politics
and the people of the State appear to
support and sustain them in their
evil courses. They have even the as-
surance to ask public eonsideration of
the name of Senator Watson, friend
[and associate’ ~of Stephenson, as a
candidate ' for President. Indiana
seems to be corrupt and proud of it.
Pennsylvania will go Democratic next
year if machine candidates in Phila-
delphia and Pittsburgh are defeated
this year.
New Note in Public Life.
In an address before the Pennsyl-
an unusual note. He urged economy
in the expenditure of public funds,
as essential to industrial prosperity.
“We have thousands urging expendi-
tures along lines in which they are
personally interested,” he said, “but
we have none who urge economy and
lesser expenditures.” He might have
added that while many are
sedulously searching for new subjects
of taxation nobody gives time or
thought to measures which might or
would decrease taxation along lines
that would lighten the onerous bur-
dens of the suffering citizen.
Those who persistently and persua-
sively urge liberal appropriations of
public funds for roads, hospitals and
schools mean well, and as General
Martin said, “it would be splendid if
these good ideas could be carried into
effect.” “But,” he added, “I want to
urge with all the vigor at my com-
mand, the absolute necessity of an
organization which will take the other
side and courageously consider all
governmental expenditures as we con-
sider our individual expenditures.”
That is a key note in which all voices
should be made to harmonize. Gov-
ernment is costing too much. It is
‘impoverishing the people and under
our system falls heaviest on those
least able to carry the burden.
“Co-operation between the tax-levy-
ing authorities.” General Martin con-
tinues, “will do more for the good of
the people than all the efficiency ex-
perts in the world. Good government
is good common sense and any gov-
ernment without good common sense
is doomed to failure.” This is literally
true. Good common sense counsels
necessary expenses for comforts and
even luxuries for the individual who
can afford them. But to mortgage
the muscles in order to provide luxur-
ies not actually needed is folly in the
individual and something worse in
government. It is to be hoped that
the admonition of General Martin will
have a deterrent influence on the
minds of those to whom it was ad-
dressed.
eng asda
——The female screen favorites are
among the holders of big .insurance
policies. Three of them are insured
for upward of $1,000,000 each.
BELLEFO
——— ee ————
———Chairman Mellon is also afraid
Ti
me for Serious Thought.
—— ee —
The excitement occasioned by the recent primaries in Centre coun-
ty is gradually subsiding
and the voters are beginning to seriously weigh
the character and ability of the candidates in the balance of cool and
deliberate judgment.
Times were in Centre county
when partisanship and party loyalty
rallied to the support of a candidate,
regardless of how much he might
merit the office he sought or what qualifications for it he possessed.
In this day of broader thinking’
only a few remain who are so blind
as not to see that the fundamental principles of either of our great
political parties have no application whatever in the functioning of
county offices.
There isn’t the remotest opportunity for any of the men who will
be chosen at the election in Centre county in November to abrogate or
exemplify a single fundamental principle of Democracy or Republican-
ism, other than to reflect credit, by faithful service, on the party that
gave them the opportunity.
From the position of President Judge of the Courts down to that of
there isn’t an obligation of service
constable of the smallest township
that a Democrat, a Republican,
a Prohibitionist or any other party man
could not subscribe to, if he is a good citizen.
In local elections there is but one excuse for yielding to the ancient
plea of “stand by the party”
zation.
It is our belief that
zations, but there
- stronger than their
and that is to support the party organi-
parties would soon die if they had no organi-
is very grave danger of organizations
parties and thereby turning the political conviec-
becoming
tions of the electorate to the aggrandizement of the selfish interests in
control of them.
For years Pennsylvania has been
the pawn of political manipula-
tors. Its delegates in national conventions have been thrown to this or
that candidate for presidential nomination who promised most to the
boss of the delegation, personally,
State might hope for.
regardless of what the voters of the
Our Governors are the
get ‘of just such concep-
tion and gradually the system is reaching out to subvert the county,
town and township elections to the
ades as party organization.
relatively free counties of
bondage of machine politics
will of the machine that masquer-
It is not a far look to see Centre and other
the State as completely enmeshed in the
as are Philadelphia and Allegheny. That
calamitous situation will appear the instant the majority of our voters
blindly rally to a party banner that
tives are merely self exploitation.
The campaign in Centre ‘county,
You have witnessed the
the casual voter realizes.
is being held up by one whose mo-
that is now on, means more than
fight of two would-
be bosses to put their personally selected candidates for Judge of your
Courts over. Money and the
used to corrupt the electorate.
single tenet of Republicanism.
the camps of the rival factions that
vania,
promise of public offices were openly
Why ?
It was all done to determine whether
Senator Scott or Secretary Dorworth would
Certainly not to advance a
deliver Centre county into
are contending to control Pennsyl-
The office of Judge, is the one most desired and useful to an aspir-
ing political dictator, especially if he knows that its incumbent owes
his seat on the bench to his aspiration.
The next Judge of the Courts
- who fits into Senator Seott’s
. Centre. county will either be. one
“to le our Vare or Leslie,
or W. Harrison Walker, whese candi acy means nothing else than a de-
sire to serve you.
Aside from the fact that a Judge has no legislative function that
might vitiate a political principle
Pennsylvania
Republican that the selection of a Judge for Centre
1s so overwhelmingly
county couldn’t hgve
any effect whatever on who will be the next President.
Surprising Request of Senator Watson.
“guide,
Senator Watson, of Indiana, whose
philosopher and friend,”
: Stephenson, is serving a life sentence
vania Association of County Commis- 5 ? s
sioners, in session at Harrisburg last | Possession of the Philadelphia and
week, Auditor General Martin struck | Pittsburgh Vare-Wilson ballots now in
in the penitentiary, is reported as
making “a friendly attempt to secure
custody of the Reed Slush Fund com-
mittee at Washington.” The purpose
of this gesture is not hard to surmise.
The administration Republican Sen-
ators imagine that a partisan com-
mittee, with an expert political man-
ipulator at its head, might be able to
recount the ballots without exposing
any of the frauds which they know
were perpetrated in the Senatorial
election in this State last year and
are fearful that the Slush Fund com-
mittee will reveal them.
The importance of the result of this
investigation may be accepted as the
reason for the desire of the adminis-
tration managers in the Senate to
shift the service from the non-parti-
san Slush Fund committee to the
packed partisan committee on Priv-
ileges and Elections. If Vare is not
admitted to the seat, pending the in-
quiry, the political complexion of the
chamber will be “a tie,” and a major-
ity adverse vote will keep him out
altogether. If he is accorded the
seat, pending the inquiry, the Repub-
licans will have a majority of one and
it will require a two-thirds vote to
expel him. It is not likely that any-
body cares much for Vare but there
is great concern on the part of the
administration to preserve the major-
ity of the Senate.
Senator Watson admits that unless
Senator Reed consents to the shifting
of the custody of the ballots now in
possession of the Slush Fund com-
mittee it will be impossible to secure
the partisan advantage he desires.
In view of that fact it may be set
down as certain that he will be dis-
appointed. Senator = Reed, of Mis-
souri, has gone to great pains and ex-
pended a vast amount of labor in ex-
posing the iniquities of the Republi-
can machines in Pennsylvania and
Illinois in the strife to retain control
of the Senate and he is not likely to
relinquish the advantage he has ac-
quired by compliance with the sur-
prising request of Senator Watson.
He will fulfill his duty by finishing his
job.
—— lp e——
——Harry Mackey, Vare candidate
for Mayor of Philadelphia, seems to
be striving for the title of “champion
hokum spreader.”
Flimsy ‘Excuse for Crime.
Philadelphia computing court judges
excuse delinquent election officers for
making fraudulent returns may not
the principal source of ballot cor-
ruption in that city but it is unques-
tionably the whole reason why Mr.
Vare insisted, while ballot reform leg-
islation was pending in the recent
session of the General Assembly, that
“criminal intent” must be proved in
order to convict election officers of
fraud. In every case in which fraud-
ulent returns were revealed by re-
count of the votes the defaulting
members of the election boards
promptly protested that they had no
intention to commit crime and the
judges as promptly exonerated them
from blame.
In the Sixth division of the Forty-
first ward, for example, the recount
en votes. Mr. Mackey, the Vare
candidate for Mayor, was credited
with forty votes more than he receiv-
ed and Mr. Moore, the independent
candidate, was cut thirty-seven from
the actual poll. The election officers
having been summoned to explain this
return declared that they were too tir-
ed to make a correct count. One
of the judges replied that he couldn’t
see “how it could have been possible
to make such a return” but imposed
no greater penalty than to require the
officers to recount the ballots of the
division for all the candidates voted
for. Maybe that made them tired
again.
In several other divisions of the
Vare wards similar discrepancies were
shown and the same excuses were of-
fered and accepted as grounds for
complete exculpation from blame. “No
criminal intent has been shown,” the
court declared, and the culprits were
not only excused this time but en-
couraged to do the same thing when-
ever opportunity is given them in the
future. No doubt the election officers
were tired, for they had to count the
votes instead of estimating them, as
has been the custom in recent years.
But weariness is no excuse for crime
and it is surprising that judges should
take such a view of the question, and
still more so that representatives of
the Committee of Seventy should con-
cur.
——An esteemed contemporary
asks us to “be proud of our State.”
How can’ we with the election scan-
dals of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh
fresh in mind?
NTE, PA.. OCTOBER 7. 1927.
!
I
|
|
1
§
i
!
i
!
showed a discrepancy of seventy-sev- |’
More Political Hokum.
From the Philadelphia Record.
“The campaign to be made against
me will be a campaign to belittle
Philadelphia,’ said Harry A. Mackey
to the South Philadelphia Business
Men’s Association the other night.
That is another bit of olitical ho-
kum, well worthy to rank. with the
argument that opposition to Mackey
in 1927 will endanger the chances of
a Republican Presidential - candidate
in 1928.
Those who oppose the election of
Mr. Mackey to the Mayoralty sincere-
ly believe that they are waging a
campaign to enhance the greatness of
Philadelphia. They do not ‘identify
the personal fortunes of Mr." Mackey
with the welfare of the city. They
feel that the re-establishment of self-
government here, the repudiation of
an arrogant boss who has presumed
to dictate the names of all men to be
Slected to office, will be a forward
step. i
It is quite possible that <when
former Magistrate Rowland was sent
to jail for extorting money from vio-
lators of the law he considered him-
self a victim of a campaign to belittle
Philadelphia. :
Election officers caught in the act of
manipulating returns in favor of Mr.
Vare’s organization doubtless feel
that Philadelphia is being belittled
Then they are exposed and prosecut-
ed.
Citizens who fear that municipal ex-
travagance and waste will further in-
crease their taxes, and who ‘protest
against neglect of the city’s streets,
are evidently, in Mr. Mackey’s opinion,
belittling Philadelphia. : ;
Seriously, is there any truth at ‘all
in the representation that the citizen
who refuses to recognize the will of a
political boss as having the force of
law, who wants a voice in the selec-
tion of his own public servants, who
wishes to effect improvements in the
conduct of municipal ~ business is a
traitor to his city? Or are the real
traitors, the actual belittlers of Phil-
adelphia, those who are 'resmonsible
for the evils the existence of: which
are acknowledged by Mackey himself ?
el tmtesstamae. A
Pinchot and Bell.
Irom the Philadelphia Public’ Ledger.
In ing a pardon for Is
nah, SPE pein a
bezzler, whose illness has prevented
the beginning of his term of impris-
onment, former Governor Gifford
Pinchot says he will lay before the
Board of Pardons the man’s complete
criminal history. Since there is no
question about the gravity and extent
of Bell’s offenses, which have brought
ruin to a host of persons in the Pitts-
burgh district, Mr. Pinchot can con-
ge m-
8
The complacency with which the . tribute no essential facts not contain-
ed in the court records. Bells pecu-
lations extended even to the savings
of the poor and the school children’s
pennies. Except by his personal coun-
sel, there has been no attempt to ex-
tenuate his offenses.
Bell’s physical condition is the only
ground for mercy. Physicians appoint-
ed by the court say he is afflicted with
paralysis, is wholly helpless and in the
penitentiary would require the same
constant care he has been receiving
in a hospital during the last several
months, It is true that some suspi-
ciously rapid recoveries have. been
made by criminals after being par-
doned. Applications alleging per-
manent invalidism must be examined
with special caution. The question
for the Board of Pardons is whether
the public interest will best be served
by putting Bell in prison or accepting
the statements as to his physical con-
dition.
A salutary moral effect was produc-
ed by his conviction, despite powerful
political influences. Unfortunately,
Mr. Pinchot’s intervention will be
widely construed as not entirely free
from political considerations connect-
ed with ancient personal animosities.
which should have no place in the
present proceeding.
a —
Homeward Bound.
From the Harrisburg Telegraph.
The tumult and the shooting have
died, the captains and the kings have
departed, and the Second A. E. F. is
packing its kit bags and preparing to
embark for home after as inspiring
a gathering as has been witnessed by
Paris in many years.
Nothwithstanding the warnings and
the wails of those who believed the
American Legion's convention in the
French capital would cause bad feel-
ing if not rioting, the Legionnaires
decided to carry on and carry on they
did, with a vengeance. And the stor.
ies coming back from the pens of
many war-time writers indicate as
clearly as anyone might wish that our
citizea-soldiers have done a splendid
piece of work in the diplomatic field.
From the opening day of the con-
vention at the Trocadero, when
Foch and Pershing sat side by side
on the platform, through that soul-
stirring parade whose passing brought
tears to many eyes as they thought
of the silent and invisible ranks
marching phantomlike along the
Champs Elysees, to the final “beau
geste” ‘of the Legion in calling upon
Clemenceau, our ambassadors without
portfolio have done their task well.
The Legion’s gathering of 1927
will not be forgotten for many, many
years.
—Subscribe for the Watchman,
SPAWLS FROM THE KEYTSONE
Robert Levy, of Punxsutawney, Pa.,
has filed . suit in- Erie court for $200,588
damages against Cletis Tranbley, of Erie,
as‘a result of an automobile accident near
Ridgway township. June 5, 1927. Levy
alleged he was permanently injured.
_ —Two children were burned to death in
a fire which destroyed the home of Robert
Kibe at Harrisville, Mercer county, Mon-
day’ night. Five other children and the
mother escaped unhurt but Mrs. Kible suf-
fered a nervous breakdown after the trag-
edy. sibel
—The death of Andrew Popovich, 43, a
Hannastown miner, was foretold in £
dream of his wife, it was brought out at
a cormer’s inquest at Greensburg. Mrs.
Popovich testified she had dreamed her
husband was killed at work, and the fol-
lowing day, September 21, had begged’
him to remain at home, He failed to heed
her pleas and was killed in a fall of slate.
—Policeman Thomas Mencer, of. Tyrone,
halted’ an dutomobile when he shot through’
the gas tank and alse shot a tire, but he
found the auto driver to be a party whom"
he didn’t want. Seeking a defendant on
a bootlegging charge he got the wrong car.
Paul Hewel. Tyrone, brought a charge
against the officer, alleging felonious shoot-
ing with intent to kill Bail ‘was furnish-
ed.
—While placing personal effects in a
satchel, Noah H. Beck, 69, of York, Pa.,
accidentally pushed the satchel against a
floor gas valve late on Monday. Although
he turned the gas off when he detected
its presence, he became ill and died a
short time later from asphyxiation. The
victim was found dead by his son when
he returned home. A pulmotor failed to
revive him. ‘
—Judge Thomas C. Hare, of the Blair
county Juvenile court, last Friday hand-
ed out unusual sentences to George New-
man and Harry Frielan, 14-year-old Phil-
ipsburg, Pa., boys, who ran away from
home when they “tired of school.” Arrest-
ed for stealing foodstuffs at Duncansville,
Judge Hare reprimanded the runaways
and handed each 50 cents to buy a meal.
In the meantime, he communicated with
their parents. The boys were returned
home.
—After a lapse of 44 years, John H.
Seitz, of Mountville, York county, is again
in possession of a land turtle he found
in 1883 at which time he carved his name
and address on the shell and liberated it. .
Mr. Seitz then lived in Central Manor, two
miles distant from his present home. Sat-
‘urday Jacob Newcomer, who lives on the
opposite side of the street from the Seitz
home, found the same turtle in his garden
and presented it to Mr. Seitz The name
and date are still quite legible.
—Lawrence W. Kightlinger, 20, died at
the Titusville hospital Monday night from
burns sustained in an explosion of gas
in the cellar of his home about ten miles
north of Titusville, early on Saturday.
Young Kightlinger went to the cellar to ’
start the Delco Lighting system and the
explosion followed, throwing him through -
the house to the yard with his clothing
in flames. Although terribly burned from
head to foot, he directed his young wife
in operating the automobile in which he
was brought to the hospital. :
Sixteen yemrs ‘ago, Richard 1. Schrads
er, of Shamokin, lost his footing and fell
under a loaded mine car, a wheel of which
passed over his body. Since that time,
he has gone to the operating table 140
times. Recovering slowly from the initial
accident, he was left with an affliction
that has steadfastly refused to vield to
operations. The 140th operation was per-
formed at the Jefferson hospital, “in Phila-
delphia, which is one of a dozen or more
hospitals to which he has been admitted
during the years of his suffering.
—The voltage of an ordinary household
electric light line was sufficient to elec-
trocute Thomas Wertz, a contractor, in
the cellar of the warehouse of the Farm-
ers’ Exchange, Inc.. at New Freedom,
Monday. The line, it was said, carried
only 110 volts. H. D. Frank, manager of
the exchange, who tried to rescue Wertz,
was twice knocked to the ground when he
attempted to force the line out of Wertz's
hands. The victim of the electrocution was
a lifelong resident of New Freedom. He
was 60 years old and has a wife and
daughter at home.
—One of the features of the new First
National Bank building at Huntingdon,
opened to the public on Saturday, is a
unique device known as the “night de-
pository” which affords business men an
opportunity to place their day’s receipts
in safe keeping after banking hours. Mer-
chants wishing to use this apparatus are
given a numbered canvas bag, with a safe-
ty lock, and a key to a cylindrical open-
ing in the outside wall of the building.
When this key is inserted, the eylinder
is rotated so that an opening appears in
which the canvas bag can be placed. The
cylinder then is turned back and the mon-
ey slides into the safe. The next day the
merchant can return and make his deposit.
—Despite the frantic efforts of her lit-
tle son to prevent her act, Mrs. Wilfred
Long, 45, wife of a section laborer, of
Lewistown, threw herself in the path of a
bassenger train on the Lewistown and
Milroy branch of the Pennsylvania rail-
road and was killed Friday night. The
tragedy occurred at the Walnut street
crossing in the residential section of Lewis-
town. Mrs. Long had been melancholy
for some time past, members of her fam-
ily told Coroner W. Arthur Barr, and a
few days ago had tried to end her life
by taking poison. A close watch had been
kept over her to prevent further attempts.
Members of the locomotive crew said that
the woman waited until the train had al-
most reached the crossing and then threw
herself in front of it. Her body was
thrown several feet ahead of the train.
—AIll her clothing burned from her body
when the balcony at her home collasped
on Monday and she fell on a torch she was
using to destroy cocoons, Mrs. Effie
Graffius, 44, widow, of Lewistown, is in a
critical condition at- the Lewistown 'hos-
pital. Mrs. Graffius had gone to the see-
ond floor balcony of her home in West
Fifth street about 7 o'clock Monday morn-
ing. Fastening some rags on a pole she
saturated them with kerosene to make a
torch, lighted it and began to burn co-
coons which had been made recently by
caterpillars. While she was destroying
them the balcony collasped. . As it dropped
to the ground she was partially dazed and
fell .on the blazing torch which ignited
her clothing. Regaining consciousness
Mrs. Graffius screamed for help, but by the
time neighbors reached her the clothing
had been burned from her body.