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VOL.
BLOOMSBURG, PA., TIIU11SDAY, JANUARY 14, 1897.
NO. 2
32
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in mm affairs.
History ol Hi Organization, and Statement
of its Preient Condition.
The Bloomsburg Banking Com
pany was organized in March, 187 1,
under articles of copartnership. An
office was opened in the room now
occupied by the Farmers' National
Bank while the present quarters were
being prepared.
John A. Funston was its first Presi
dent, and continued in that position
until July 1889 when he was succeeded
by I. S. Kuhn, who served up to the
time of his death in November 1802.
Col. J. G. Freeze was then elected
President, and still fills the office. H.
II. Grotz was the Cashier from its
organization until the bank went into
the hands ol a Receiver.
On October 23, 1896 the bank
doors were closed, and a statement
was put up saying that as they were
unable to realize on their securities,
they were obliged to suspend business.
On December 26 an application was
made to the court asking for the ap
pointment of a Receiver, and B. F.
Zarr, Esq., was appointed. The ap
plication was made by a bill in equity
in which the plaintiff is "John W.
Shuman, a partner and creditor of the
Bloomsburg Banking Company, for
himself and such other partners and
creditors as may become parties to
the bill," and the defendants are
"John G. Freeze, B. F. Sharpless, II.
J. Conner, D. K. Sloan, B. F. Zarr,
J- W. Shuman, and others unknown,
trading as the Bloomsburg Banking
Company."
The court made the following
decree :
"And now December 26th 1896,
came the complainant by his counsel
H. M. Hinckley, and also the res
pondents by their counsel Chas. G.
Barkley, and the complainant's bill of
complaint properly verified by affidavit
being exhibited to the court, as well
as the admissions of the respondents
that from their best information they
believe the partnership to be insolvent,
and that it would be for the best inter
ests of the said partnership and all
the individual members thereof that
the said partnership be dissolved, and
a Receiver be appointed, after due
consideration it is ordered as follows :
First, That the Bloomsburg Bank,
ing Company is insolvent.
Second, B. F. Zarr, Esq., is hereby
appointed Receiver of all the property,
equitable interest, things in action,
effects, money, receipts, earnings,
rights and credits of the said partner
ship, known as the Bloomsburg Bank
ing Company, with all the power,
rights and duties of Receiver as in
bke cases, and particularly with the
right and power to enter into immedi
ate possession, and turn into money
the assets of said co-partnership, to
wind up and terminate its business (
ana to report from time to time to
this court his performance of trips
duties, and the sum or sums of money
in his haads for distribution to the
creditors of said partnership, said
Receiver to give bond in the sum of
$50,000, with II. J. Clark, Geo.
Herring, William Krickbaum, B. F.
Sharpless and H. J. Conner as sureties
who are approved as sufficient anc
good.
Third, The members, officers anc
directors, of said partnership shall
forthwith upon the giving of said
bond, give up to said Receiver posses
won of all the property or assets of
said partnership, and thenceforth in
no way interfere with the same.
fourth, Thai respondents file an
answer within 30 days, to the bill of
complaint and furnish therewith a list
of all the members ot said partner
'ship from the time of its organization,
together with the date of any thereof,
the time of their becoming members,
the number of shares held by each,
and the purchaser or purchasers of
any stock.
fifth, That service be had of said
bill upon all the members so furnish
ed who do not join as plaintiffs in
said bill, and they be required to ans
wer the same, as well as the defendants
now named."
On December 28th, on petition of
the Receiver, the court appointed J.
V. Logan and Frank Ikeler as ap
praisers to make an inventory of the
assets of the bank, and on January
7th 1897, the inventory was filed in
the Prothonotary's office.
WHAT THE INVENTORY SHOWS.
This document shows that the bank
has assets considered good amounting
to $56,108.04, while those believed
to be worthless amount to $36,757.81.
It also shows that accounts were allow
ed to be overdrawn to the amount of
$14,307.14, ofwhich $t2.8jt..i is
now Uncollectihle. Amnnir these nvpr-
drafts is one of 3748.77 another of
$1094.48 another of $1432.23;
another of $at.n 1 another of $e.io.-
14 I another of $355.54 1 another of
$202.72 1 eight ot over $100, and a
number of smaller amounts.
Among the worthless assets is a
judgment against J. S. Cochran &
Bro. for $8694.52. Another item of
loss is in Northern Pacific Stock which
was placed in the bank as collateral
for notes not paid, and which the bank
was compelled to take at par value,
$100, now worth $o and some
of it less. The depreciation in the
value of this stock alone is about
$12,000.
It is claimed that most of these
losses occurred before any of the
present board of directors were elected.
We are informed that there are
about one thousand depositors, and
mat tnere is probably $80,000 due
them. If this be correct, the Ktnrk.
holders will have to raise about $25,.
000 more than their good assets in
order to pay the depositors. This.
however, i3 only an approximate esti
mate, as some ot the assets consider
ed good may not be collectible, while
some that is marked worthless may
oe collected.
While it is apparent that some verv
loose business has been done at the
Bloomsburg Banking Comninv. hv
somebody, there is no reason to be
lieve thatny of the depositors will
'c losers, as me concern is a
partnership, and the individual pro
perty of the partners or stockholders,
is liable for any deficiency after the
assets of the company are exhausted.
MAKOT.
For some time past a number of
young ladies and gentlemen of Blooms
burg" have been rehearsing a play call
ed "Aiarcy, which will be presented
at the Opera House on Thursdav
evening, January 21. It is a play
abounding in pathos and humor, and
win anord an evening of royal enter
tainment. The object for which it is
given is to raise money for a new
organ tor the Episcopal Church.
Those who patronize it should
remember that they will not only
derive pleasure from this entertain
ment, but that they are helping to
purchase what will be a source of
eujoyment for many years to come.
A new organ will add greatly to the
excellence of the music at the church,
and the public will have the benefit of
it.
The prices of seats have been fixed
at 25, 35 and 50 cents. Reserved
seats can be secured at Slate's Book
Store,
THE KELLOGG CONCERT.
The first entertainment of the
series in the Students' Lecture Course
was given in the Normal Auditorium
on Monday evening. There was a
large and well pleased audience
present. Mr. Kellogg's warbling is
something wondertul. Miss Dillman's
recitations were pleasing, and her
calisthenics and Delsarte gymnastics
were novel and beautiful. The colored
lights produced most charming effects
Mrs. Kellogg sang well, though suffer
ing irom a severe cold. Miss iJow
man presided at the piano verv ac
ceptably. If this is a forerunner of
what is to come, the holders of course
tickets are going to get more for a
dollar than has ever been offered in a
lecture course in this town before
The next number will be a lecture by
Mr. Geo. Keenan on January 25th.
Knights of the Golden Eagle.
The following are the officers of
Theta Castle No. 276, of Bloomsburg,
tor trie ensuing six months term :
Past Chief Henry Knorr.
Noble Chief David Powell.
Vice Chief J. E. Fidlcr.
High Priest J. L. Shoemaker.
Venerable Hermit Wm. Jones.
Master of Records. Jno. W. Lewis
Llerk of Exchequer William E,
Shaffer.
Keeper of Exchequer C. W. Fun
ston.
Sir Herald Mayberry Bachman
Worthy Chamberlain A. Fortune.
Esquire G. Stineman.
First Guardsman J.'R. Jones.
second Guardsman A. E. Myers,
irustee 5. W. Shutt.
Representative to the Grand Castle
Jacob Shaffer.
William, son of the late Dr. Har
der, who was a former resident of
Bloomsburg, died at Nanticoke on
Friday night. His remains were
brought here for burial on Monday,
1 he deceased was aged about twenty
three.
DROWNED ON SUNDAY.
Great excitement was caused Sun
day forenoon by the report that
several young men had fallen through
the ice and drowned. The news spread
fast and the road leading to the scene
of the reported accident was lined
with people, but after reaching the
place it was found that the report had
been somewhat exaggerated and that
only one had been drowned. From
what we could learn the facts are
about as follows :
On Sunday forenoon Mr. Shaffer,
who lives above Iron Dale opposite
the company dam, heard the cries of
a man, who he imagined was in
trouble, and he at once started out to
see what wasthe matter. On arriving
at the dam he found that a hole had
been broken in the ice. He gave the
alarm and in about an hour the body
of George Scott, was removed from
the water.
Squire Jacoby was sent for at once,
but after he had learned the facts in
the case, decided that an inquest was
not necessary, as all the evidence
proved that the drowning was acci
dental Undertaker Baker removed
the body to Mr. Scott's home on Sec
ond Street.
A fish basket was strapped on
his shoulder and it is the belief
that he had been fishing through the
ice. There appears to have been no
one with him at the time, and the
exact particulars about the accident
will probably never be known. The
unfortunate young man was a son of
William Scott, a conductor on the
B. & S. Railroad, who resides at the
lower end of town. He was at Jami
son City at the time of the drowning,
and an engine was sent up to bring
him down. The case is a very sad
one, and the family have the sym
pathy of the whole community. The
fnneral took place on Tuesday.
Teachers' Association-
The Executive Committee of the
Columbia County Teachers' Associa
tion met in the special court room on
Saturday last at 10 a. m. The meet
ing was called to order by the Presi
dent, Supt. Miller, who stated the
objects of the meeting were to select
a time for holding the next annual
teachers' institute, to determine the
dates and places for holding the
several local institutes, to consider
the preparation of a course of study
and the advisability of holding uni
form monthly examinations. The
time for holding the next county
institute was first taken up, and after
a free discussion in which the Super
intendent invited all to participate,
a ballot was taken, whereby it was
unanimously decided to hold it in
December.
It was decided to hold a local
institute for Montour and Hemlock
at Rupert, Jan. 16 ; for Centre and
Scott at Lime Ridge, Jan. 23 ; for
Orange, Mt. Pleasant and Fishing
creek at Orangeville, Jan. 30 ; for
Locust, Roaringcreek, and Cleveland
at Numidia, Feb. 6 ; for Pine,
Greenwood, Madison and Millville at
Millville, Feb. 13; for Mifflin, Beaver
and Main at Mifilinville, Feb. 20 ;
for Benton, Benton Township, Sugar-
loaf and Jackson at Benton, Feb. 27 ;
for Berwick and Briarcreek at
Berwick, March 6 ; for Bloomsburg
March 27. The dates for institutes
at Catawissa and Centraha have not
yet been decided on.
It was lecommended by the com
mittee that Supt. Miller appoint
committee of teachers to assist him
in the preparation of a course of
study for the village and rural schools
of the county. It was further recom
mended that the course be made to
con'.ain an outline of each year's
work and that it be published in
pamphlet form. The County Supt
in his treatment of his teachers shows
that he believes in a democratic form
of government, and in the treatment
of educational questions that he
understands his business.
The following members of the
committee were present : H. M
Grotz, Beaver E. K. Richardson,
Berwick j L. P. Sterner, Bloomsburg ;
Rolandus Kocher, Centre ; Laura B,
Yocum, Cleveland ; Maggie Petty,
Berwick ; Boyd Trescott, Greenwood;
Emma Beaver, Locust J. I.
Fetterolf, Mainville ; J. W. Houck,
Mifflin 1 Edward Roth, Montour ;
Edna Eves, Millville j Lulu Apple-
man, Mt. Pleasant j A. F. Terwilliger,
Scott.
At 12 m. the committee adjourned
sine die. ,
George W. Rutter, aged ninety-four,
the oldest citizen ot Uniontown, Pa
died on Saturday. ' ,
TAKE THEM 0F1.
Hals with large plumes and feathers
are fashionable this winter. Some of
them stand up in the air from six to
ten inches. They are objects of
beauty, and calculated to excite feel
ings of admiration or envy, according
to the disposition of the beholder.
But in order to be admired they must
be seen at the right place and time.
A front view or a side view on the
street is far preferable to a rear view
at a place of amusement. People
who pay to see entertainments have a
right to an unobstructed view of the
stage, and this is a fact that should be
remembered by ladies with large hats.
This is particularly applicable to the
floor of the Normal Auditorium, where
the stage is low, and the seats are on
a level.
This subject has been fought out in
the cities, and it is now the almost
universal custom for ladies to remove
their hats in the theatres. It is not
an unusual thing for ladies who keep
them on to be requested to remove
them by persons behind them. A
small evening bonnet without plumes
is in much better taste in public halls,
aud an uncovered head is better yet.
COURT PROCEEDINGS.
Court convened on Saturday after
noon at 4 o'clock, with Judge Ikeler
and Associates Millard and Fox on
the bench. Judge Millard now sits
at the right hand ot Judge Ikeler
being the oldest associate in commis
sion. It was Judge Fox's first ap
pearance on the bench.
Hearing in the application for the
dissolution of the Bloomsburg Belt
R. R. Line continued until Monday,
Jan. 18, in the forenoon at 9 o'clock.
Estate of Elias George, deceased,
J. G. Freeze appointed auditor.
Boyd Trescott, Samuel Demott and
Ever Allen appointed inspectors of
county bridge in Madison township,
near A. u. bmith s.
Estate of Wm. Wright, deceased,
C. G. Barkley appointed auditor.
Ross & Co. vs. Leader Co., Ltd.
Rule for judgement granted. Rule
returnable at next asgument court.
Wm. A. Fritz vs. Flora Fritz. Sub
poena in divorce awarded.
A. J. Lmmit vs. G. W. Sterner.
Petition for rule to show cause why
an execution shall not be issued.
Rute granted.
Petition presented for the appoint
ment of viewers for a county bridge
in Hemlock township, near Buckhorn.
Adjourned to meet January 18, at
nine a. m.
OrriOERS ELECTED-
On Tuesday the stockholders of
the Bloomsburg Banking Company
elected the following board of direc
tors : J. G. Freeze, B. F. Zarr, B. F.
Sharpless, D. K. Sloan, H. J. Conner.
There is no change from last year.
On the same day the following
persons were elected directors of the
First National Bank for the ensuing
year : Dr. E. M. Low, Myron I. Low,
C. R. Buckalew, A. Z. Schoch, E. B.
Tustin. Dr. Low was re-elected Presi
dent ; A. Z. Schoch, Vice-President,
and E. B. Tustin, Cashier.
The stockholders of the Farmers
National Bank on Tuesday elected
the following directors for 1897 ;
W. S. Moyer, C. M. Creveling, Frank
Ikeler, William G ingles, C. W. Runyon,
C. A. Kleim, N. U. Funk, William
Kramer, J. W. Eves.
The Bloomsburg & Sullivan R. R.
Co. held its annual election on Tues
day with the following result : Direc
tors, C. R. Buckalew, J. K. Grotz,
II. J. Conner, L. E. Waller, Samuel
Wigfall, Morton McMichael, Charles
Evans, H. H. Pigott, E. W. Clark Jr,
The organization is the same as here
tofore, namely, C. R. Buckalew, Presi
dent i S. Wigfall, Vice-President and
Treasurer, H.J.Conner, Secretary;
F. M. Leader, general manager.
. The old organ at the Episcopal
Church was purchased in 1874, and
cost $1200. It was a second hand
instrument and had been rebuilt. It
has done excellent service, but after
twenty-three years of usefulness it is
worn out and is not worth what it
would cost to put it in good condi
tion. Besides that, it is out of date,
and even if it were thoroughly repair
ed it would not give the results that
can be obtained from a. modern instru
ment. A fund has been started for a
new organ, and it is hoped that be
fore long enough can be raised to
procure one.
T1USTEE SALE
of Hi 0
(GIBBIM & CO
Stock Still Continues
Suite, Overcoats,
Storm Coats, Keefers,
Mats, Caps '
and Furnishings
THE GIBIN(B 4 CO.
JOSEPH GOLDSMITH.
Trustee.
HE SHOT HIS BONDSMAN.
Postmaster Landers, of Newberry, Sought
Tragio Jievenge.
PROMINENT VICTIM MAY DIE.
Tho Office Was About to be Turned Over to a
Clerk on Account of a Shortage
In Its Accounts.
Hon. Seth T. Foresman, one of the
most prominent citizens and leading
lumberman, was shot, and it is feared
fatally wounded, last Saturday after
noon at 4'3o o'clock, by George K.
Landers, postmaster of Newberry, the
Seventh and Eleventh wards of v ul
lamsport. Foresman was one of Lan
ders' bondsmen, and called at the
post office to talk to the latter con
cerning a shortage in his accounts.
The two men stood inside the rack
at the general delivery winaow, when
Landers suddenly drew a small bull
dog revolver. Landers declares that
he drew it with the intention of shoot
ing himself in the head j but Mr. Fores
man made a statement to Alderman
C. V. L. McMinn to the effect that
Landers had the pistol aimed at his
(Foresman's) heart, when he struck
Landers' arm and knocked it down
ward, the ball taking effect in the
bondsman's stomach, passing through
the bowels.
THEN HE FELT A TWINGE. '
Foresman says he felt a sharp twinge
in the stomach when the pistol ex
ploded, but that he did not know he
was shot until ten minutes later, when
he walked rcross the street.
Landers has been drinking consid
erably of late, and his bondsmen have
during the last year paid to the Gov
ernment $390 to balance his accounts.
Mr. Foresman called that day to ex
postulate with Landers, and demanded
that he turn the post office over to
Miss Blanche Layton, a clerk.
At this demand Landers remarked:
"All right ; I will," and pulled the pis
tol. There were no witnesses to the
affair. Miss Myrtle Straub, a clerk,
sat at a desk with her back toward the
two men. She says she heard no ex
cited conversation before the shooting.
VICTIM LIKELY TO DIE.
The doctors say that Foresman has
but slight chances for recovery.
However, his rugged constitution is
in his favor. Mr. Foresman represent
ed Lycoming county in the Legisla
ture, was the Democratic candidate
for Mayor of the city several years
ago and served as Select Councilman
several years. He is a member of the
sawmill firm of Williams & Foresman.
Landers is a cripple. He made no
attempt to escape after the shooting,
and is now in jail. He says he will
put himself out of the way.
ANIMOTISOOPE COMING A6 AIN.
On the 28th of December a unique
entertainment' was given in the Luth
eran Church of this place, by Lyman
H. Howe .with the animotiscope and
phonograph. Those who saw aud
enjoyed the marvelously realistic
scenes and sounds, were delighted
and amazed. This is not a magic
lantern, as many people suppose, but
is one of the wonders of the nineteenth
century. With the exception of those
who saw this marvelous invention
when here before, it has probably
never been seen by any of the resi
dents of this town and vicinity. All
objects appear to be life size. Scenes
are shown as they actually transpire.
Horses gallop, men run, water splashes
and waves roll, smoke rises and
wreathes about, and an express train,
at the rate of a" mile a minute, dashes
rapidly by. The phonograph vividly
reproduces the hissing of steam and
the rattle and roar of the train.
Tickets, and board for reserved seats
at Slate's. Reserved seats thirty-five
cents ; general admission twenty-five
cents. For the benefit of the Luth
eran church, January 26, at the Opera
House.
E. F. Row, whose barbershop has
been located for some time in the
lower room of the Central Hotel
building, will move across the street
to the room formerly occupied by Mr.
W. H. GilmoM as a toy store. Mr.
Row's old quarters when vacated will
be used by Mr. Stohner as a first class
sample room.
The house formerly occupied by
Geo. Runyon, which was recently
destroyed by fire is being repaired by
the John Jones Estate, and will soon
be ready for occupancy. Mr. Runyon
will move back. ; '