1
VOL. 32
BLOOMSBURG, PA., THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1897.
NO. 5
X
,1
DYNAMITE CASES.
Will Not b Tried at Thhi Court. Contlnu
net Granted on Motion ol Defendant's
Counstl.
When court opened on Wednesday
morning, the court room filled up until
every seat was taken, and there was
no more standing room in the aisles.
It was understood that the cases of L.
S. Wintersteen and Clifton Knorr,
charged with an attempt to blow up
the residence of L. E. Waller Esq.,
last September, would coine before
the court in some shape, and in this
the spectators were not disappointed.
Judge Metzger of Williamsport, was
on the bench in Judge Ikeler's place,
as the latter will not preside at the
trial of the cases. The grand jury on
Tuesday afternoon returned true bills
on seven indictment and Judge
Metzger came down in response to a
telegram as pre-arranged.
Mr. Wintersteen sat at a counsel
table with his attorneys Fred Ikeler
and Col. J. G. Freeze, and at the
other table were James Scarlet, Grant
Herring, W. H. Rhawn and District
Attorney Harman. Mr. Ikeler moved
to quash the indictments on the ground
that the defendant had been refused
to be heard on his own behalf and by
witnesses when before J. M. Clark,
Esq., the committing magistrate.
Messrs. Scarlet and Herring followed
him on the other side, and then Judge
Metzger suggested that he understood
that a motion for continuance was to
be made, and he would hear that
motion before deciding the motion to
quash.
Mr. Wintersteen was sworn and
said that there were two important
witnesses without whom he could not
safely go to trial ; that he had been
diligent in searching for them, but
had not yet been able to find them ;
that he had employed A. S. L. Shields
of Philadelphia, and - J. C. Jacobs of
Reading as counsel, and that neither
of them could get here this week j and
further, that by direction of his counsel
he had not subpoenaed any witnesses,
and was not ready for trial, supposing
that the grounds laid for a continuance
were sufficient. After consultation
with the associates Judge Metzger
stated that the court was unanimous
in granting the continuance and he
especially desired it in order to give
him time to examine the legal ques
tions raised by the motion to quash
the indictments.
? He will file an opinion during this
month. If the indictments are quash
ed it will end the case until there is a
new arrest and hearing and binding
over. If the indictments stand, the
case will probably be tried at May
court, though Mr. Scarlet suggested
that they would ask for a special term
at which the case may be tried.
Planned to Blow up a Prison.
Desperate Methods Fall to Free a Convicted
Murderer.
Detectives claim to have unearthed
a plot at Wilkesbarre which had for
its object the blowing up of the
county jail. Among the inmates of
the jail is Peter Wanell, alias "Terri
ble Pete," who is awaiting execution
for murder. Belore he fell into the
hands of the law he was worth con
siderable money, and it is claimed
that his friends are using it to secure
his liberty.
, They had entered into a scheme
with young SchaerTer, who escaped
from jail on January 7, to open
' Wanell's cell door and allow him to
escape by a window. Wanell's friends
from the outside had a big jack screw
and broke the bars of the window,
When the critical moment arrived.
however, SchaerTer, who had escaped
from his own cell, was unable to pick
the lock on the door of Wanell's cell,
Fearing he would be caught by the
watchmen in the corridor, he leaped
to the window, where Wanell's friends
were in waiting, and escaped.
Wanell's pals then became desper
ate and resolved to blow the prison
up with dynamite. The prison authori
ties got wind of it and they put on
extra guards. Detectives Kline and
Honeywell have made two arrests in
connection with the affair, and more
are to follow.
Farmers' Institutes.
A Farmers' Institute will be held
at Orangeville on the loth and 20th
insts., and at Numidiaon the 17th
and 18th. Interesting programs have
been arranged.
The Indian School at Carlisle Pa.
has been quarantined because of an
epidemic of measles.
THE STATE CAPITOL 'DESTROYED.
In a Few Hours the Great Structure Wat
In a Pile of Ruins.
YOSS ESTIMATED AT HALF A MILLION.
t
The legislative halls are in ruins and
its law making body without a home.
The fire started in Lieutenant Gov
ernor Lyons rooms sometime Tues
day forenoon, but was not discovered
until it had gained considerable head
way, or until about 1 o'clock, when
the buildings were too far gone to be
saved.
The lieutenant governor's apart
ments are on the second floor of the
main Capitol building directly over
the Senate chamber, and it was only
short time before the senate was to
have reconvened that .a page hurried
the desk of President Pro. Tern.
McCarrel, who was about to take his
seat, preparatory to calling the body
order, with the information that
there was fire in the room overhead.
Bad news travels quickly, and it seem
ed that in a twinkling everybody on
the whole floor knew of the fire.
The senate was to have received
the amended Mitchell treasury investi
gation from the house and for this
purpose the senators took a recess at
2.25 o clock until 1. But the resolu
tion was forgotten and the attention
of all was turned in the direction of
the room in which the smoke was dis
covered. "Get out your buckets."
was the command of Chief Clerk
Edwin M. Smiley to a group of excited
senate attaches who were standing
about not knowing what to do. The
chief clerk's orders were obeyed ; but
the most efficient bucket brigade in
existence could not have extinguished
the flames that were eating their way
around the upper pait of the building
between the brick work and the walls.
As proof of this the most earnest
efforts of the Harrisburg fire depart
ment were found to be entirely un
availing so far as the saving of the
main building was concerned. The
men with the buckets returned to
their chief with the news that the fire
could not be reached. Anticipating
this Senate Librarian Miller pulled
the auxiliary fire alarm in the senate
library. The firemen say the alarm
sounded was twenty-three, and be
cause of their response to this box
they did not answer as quickly to the
call from the capitol as they otherwise
would have done. When they reach
ed the building the flames had gained
such headway that old firemen pre
dicted the destruction of the entire
structure. And so it proved.
The cause of the fire has been var-
lously stated. In an interview with an
officer of. the Harrisburg electric com
pany last evening he stated that it did
not and could not have originated
from electric wires, as reported by
some. "The building," He said, "we
re-wired several years ago, at the time
the insurance was placed The wiring
was installed under the rules and
regulations of the board of fire under
writers and was carefully inspected
and approved. The odor of smoke
was apparent to a number of the sena
tors and employes from one to two
hours before the fire was discovered.
Had it been caused by contact of
wires the fire would have been ap
parent in a very short time. The
theory which has the most founda
tion in fact is that it originated from
the open hearth fire in the lieuteuant
governor s room and burned under
the floor along the joists to the hall
partition where it was discovered.
This hearth was ordered rebuilt last
summer by Senate Librarian Miller
as he deemed it unsafe at that time.
The accumulation of the dust of many
years and inflammaDle particles made
the progress of the fire under the floor
an easy matter."
While the senators were exoited
over the fire the house was transacting
business. But it did not take long to
convey the information to the lower
branch that the fire was in progress.
Messengers brought the word and
soon there was a hurried adjournment.
Many of the members lingered think
ing the blaze was slight. When they
realized the situation fully they started
to work to save their property. Others
then appeafed and a few desks and
chairs were removed. When the last
man had left the flames were leaping
along the roof of the house. Repre
sentative Charles E. Voorhees was
the last man to leave and he made
nis escape just as an explosion oc
curred in the dome of the building.
Governor William Findlay laid the
corner stone of the capitol at noon
Monday May 31, 1810, formal cere-
rVnonies following. This stone bears
outwardly no distinguishing marks
and while it is not positively known
where it is located it is generally
agreed ah agreement based upon
the recollection of old inhabitants
that it is at the southwestern corner
of the building. A story of the time
relates that "when Governor Findlay
went through the form of laying it he
accidentally broke the mallet, which
was cansidered by the assemblage of
people as a bad omen." The senate
and house first occupied the building
on' January 2, 1822. The annex for
the state library was built later. The
entire sum set apart for the cost of
the main building was $135,000.
"For the purpose of constructing the
columns and capitals of brown stone
and to cover the roof of the dome"
$15,000 were appropriated.
1 he main building of the capitol,
destroyed Tuesday, was 180 feet
front, eighty feet deep and two stories
high. The lower story contained vesti
bule and stair case, the chambers of
the senate and house of representa
tives and several small apartments
for the accommodation of the mem-
bers
and officers ot the legislature.
l tie second story contained rooms
for the state library, canal commission
ers, supreme court, school department
and committees. The main entrance
was by a circular portico the whole
height of the building, sustained by
six Ionic columns of red sand stone,
painted white, four feet in diameter
and thirty-six feet high, the portico
receding thirty-seven feet to a circular
wall. The floor of the portico, upon
which the columns rested, was about
six feet from the ground, reached by
steps of sand stone and paved with
massive flags ot the same material.
From the floor to the top of the cornice
the distance was forty-six feet and the
front was fifty-six and one-half feet.
From the top of hc cornice to the
top of the dome it was fifty-seven and
one-half feet, making the whole height
130 feet.
The rotunda above the roof was
composed of sixteen columns twenty-
two inches in diameter and seventeen
feet high, and was forty-eight feet in
diameter outside of the columns.
There was a space ot three feet be
tween columns and wall. The di
ameter of the inside was thirty-four
feet. The dome was forty feet in
diameter. It contained eight windows
and eight niches. Four of the latter
were partly covered with the faces of
the clocks and the remainder were
originally designed for the reception
of statues.
Mayor Warwick sent a telegram to
Governor Hastings Tuesday offering
the council chambers in Philadelphia
for the use of the legislature. Gov
ernor Hastings replied, thanking the
mayor and saying that adequate ar
rangements have been made in Harris
burg for both branches of the assem
bly and that there will be no occasion
for any interruption in their work.
UNIVERSITY VS. NORMAL. .
We have waited patiently for the
announcement that the celebrated
basket ball team of the University of
Pennsylvania would be here, and at
last we have heard it. All lovers of
the came should take advantage of
this opportunity, as it will not be
offered again this season and the
game will undoubtly be a fine one.
Seats can be reserved at Slate's book
store, the price of which is 25c. If
you wish to have a good view of the
game you should mark your seats
earlv. These two fast teams will
dispute honors in Normal Gymnasium
on Friday night at 8 o clock,
The Republican caucus re-assem;
bled in the Town Hall on Thursday
night to nominate a man for Town
Councilman to fill the vacancy occa
sioned by the withdrawal of T. Lee
Harman. W. S. Rishton and W. D,
Brobst were named. Mr. Rishton
was the choice of the caucus, the vote
being 33 to 32 in his favor,
The congregation of the Presby
terian Church met on Thursday even
ine for the selection of a pastor. The
meeting resulted in a call being ex
tended to Rev. G. H. Hemingway,
of Carthage, Mo. It is understood
that he is to take charge of the pulpit
at once. He preached a trial sermon
in the church last November,
At the coming election in Berwick
the school board will submit to a vote
of the people the question whether or
not the cooking school shall be con
tinned in the public schools.
A number of ladies prominent in
Bloomsburg society, set a good ex
ample by removing their hats at
recent entertainment in the Oper,
House.
TRIES TO BLOW UP A BAH fc.
DEPOSITORS WREAK VENGANCE ON
ONE OF HOLLIDAYSnURO'S BROKEN
INSTITUTIONS.
A terrific explosion occurred at
Hollidaysburg, Sunday night in an
attempt to destroy with dynamite the
banking house of Gardner, Morrow
& Co. The bank was soon surround
ed by a crowd of excited men and
women. The bank door had been
torn from its fastenings and hurled to
the rear of the room, the flooring had
been pat tially destroyed, bricks loos
ened and not a whole pane of glass
was left. No damage was done to
the vault. The glass in all the stores
and residences on the square were
completely shattered.
The buildings that sustained the
greatest damage were the First
National Bank. Frank Glessner's
general merchandise store, and the
residence of Charles Vowkel, Major
S. S. Barr and Dr. J. R. Humes. H.
M. Hemshey and Edward Nicko
demus, who roomed next door to the
bank, were shaken out of their beds
by the force of the explosion.
The crime was committed by tear
ing out the frame work about the
bank door and inserting dynamite.
There is no clue to the perpetrators.
It is believed that the crime is due
to the revengeful conduct of deposi
tors. Last September the bank fail
ed, and the statement of its condition"
made a few weeks ago in court indi
cates that it was in an insolvent con
dition for many years. Its assets are
only sufficient to pay between fifteen'
and twenty cents on the dollar.
nominations.
The Fishingcreek Democrats have
nominated the following ticket :
Tax Collector O. J. Hess, Treas
urer A B. McIIenry, Supervisors
E. D., S. E. McHenry ; W. D.,
Daniel Wenner. School Directors
Zaner D., Charles Emory ; Asbury
D., A A. Eveland; Township Clerk
S. Campbell j Overseer ot Poor
A Karnes ; Assessor E. D.,
W. N. Hosier j W. D., M. R. Kelch-
ner j Assistant assessors uaniei
Wenner and W. L. McHenry ; Audi
tor Rush Harrison ; Judge of elec
tion W. D., Hiram Karnes 1 E. D.,
; Inspector W. D.,
C. B. Ash ; E. D., Emanuel Wenner.
The Republican caucus was held at
the same time and place, and nomi
nations were made, as follows : In-
pectors E. D., S. J. Harrison j W.
D., J. F. Trump.
The ticket nominated in Benton is
as follows :
Town Council, C. B. McHenry,
H. F. Everett, J. W. Winley 1 High
Constable, Daniel Hess ; Assistant
Assessor, J. R. Keeler 5 Inspector,
E. Kanouse t Judge of Election,
Clinton Dewitt j School Directors.
W. C. Fullmer, D. E. Keeler 5 Audi
tor, E. R. Davis 1 Poor Overseer, Cj
L. Davis. It will be observed that
three nominations were made for
members of town council. The rea
son given is that C. B. Ikeler will
resign as a member of that body as he
holds the position of assessor. '
Typhoid at Lewistown-
There are thirty-five cases of
tvphoid fever in Lewistown and the
epidemic seems to be spreading. The
borough has tailed to comply with the
law reauiring it to have a board ot
health, the town council refusing to
appoint one when the last board re
signed. No effort has been made to
ascertain the cause by local authori
ties and new cases are developing
daily.
The state board of health has been
notified. The blame is laid to the
water and recent digging up of streets
for putting in the new water system,
There have not as yet been any
deaths, but there are several persons
critically ill.
The late John Knies held a $5000
accident insurance policy in a New
York company. A post mortem ex
amination showed the brain clotted
with blood, indicating that death was
caused by concussion of the brain re
suiting from striking his head when he
fell down.
Selinsgrove is in a fit of excitement
over a gang of five men who are
safely entrenched in a little hut on
the edge of a neck of timber. They
break into houses and burn buildings,
and commit other lawless acts, and
cannot be captured. They are well
armed with rifles, pistols and knives,
and gave notice that any effort made
to capture will surely end in death.
GOOD ADVICE
is often never heeded until too late.
This sale may prove j'ust that way to
you. The prices now will not, in fact,
cannot be repeated. It's a splendid op
portunity to clothe yourself and family,
and at first cost of manufacture. The
winter has j'ust about opened.
Storm Overcoats, $3.90, $4.50, $6, $7,
$8.
Boy's Reefers, 1.75, 2.25, 3. 3.50.
Warm Wool Underwear, complete
sizes in best grades.
Mufflers, lined or unlined gloves.
Qidding's Store.
THE
THE OATAWISSA BRIDUE
Judge McPherson of Dauphin
county has made the following order
in the matter of the petition ot
Columbia County to rebuild the
county bndge at Catawissa, at the
cost of the state :
And now January 27th, 1897, the
Commissioners of Columbia County
having by their counsel (with Mr.
Elkins appearing for the Common
wealth) submitted the within bills of
the fees and expenses ot tne viewers
in the above stated case, with an ac
ceptance of due and legal notice and
service of the same upon them, the
Court under the circumstances of
said case, fix the fees and expenses
to be allowed the viewers aforesaid,
and paid by Columbia county.
Here follows a statement of the
amounts allowed, giving J. M. Africa
$7o for making survey, calculations,
taking testimony and making report ;
D. B. Dykens, viewer, $120 j W. W.
Griest, viewer, $110 ; Luther Eyer,
viewer, $100 j W. S. Moyer, viewer,
$100 1 M. E. Shaughnessy, steno
grapher, $342.58.
Notice of the service of the bills
was accepted by the county commis
sioners on January 26th.
Death of Charles Armstrong.
Charles Armstrong, second son of
David Armstrong, departed this life at
his home on Thursday evening last
at 5 o'clock. The deceased had been
sick for about eight weeks, during
which illness he had at different times
showed signs of improvement, but on
Thursday he grew worse, and just as
the shades of night were gathering he
closed his eyes, and sank gently to
his everlasting sleep. His death is a
sad one as it renders two small child
ren parentless, his wife having died
four years ago. The deceased was a
brother to William K. and John D.
of this town and was in the fortieth
year of his age. He was a good citizen
and of a quiet and triendly disposition. -Funeral
took place Sunday afternoon,
conducted by Rev. B. C. Conner, of
the Methodist Church. Interment in
Rosemont Cemetery.
Valentines will soon take up a
portion of the postmaster's time
Installation of Officers
Installation of officers of G. A. R.
Post of Orangeville will take place on
first Saturday, Feb. 6, at 2 o'clock
P. M. sharp, in G. A.' R. Hall. The
installation services will be conducted
by comrade Hayman of Post 159 of
Berwick. After which two addresses
will be made by Prof. Lesher Asst.
Principal of schools of Berwick, and
E. J. Bowman of Forks, two excellent
speakers well known? in the county.
We all remember the beautiful, mas
terly and eloquent off-hand address
of comrade Bowman delivered at
Light Street on last Memorial day
before a large audience. After which
will follow a sumptuous banquet that
will be continued in G. A. R. Hall at
night. A banquet that will please the
palate and suit the purse of the most
fastidious. The proceeds of the ban
quet for the benefit of the Post at
Orangeville.
Who does not appreciate the sold
ier, who left home, wife and children,
parents, kindred, hallowed and endear
ing associations and sallied forth
to do and die for his country ? Come
one come all.
Com. of Arrangements.
The extensive plant of the Scranton
illuminating, heat and power com
pany, at Scranton, was totally destroy
ed by fire early on Sunday morning,
at a loss of $50,000. Sunday even
ing services in the churches weie
abandoned owing to the lack of light
and heat The insurance covers about
half the loss.
Harry,, a thirteen year old son of
William Gigger, who resides on the
corner of East and Sixth Street,
dropped dead of heart disease about
five o'clock on Saturday evening. He
was sitting on a chair, when he sudden
ly fell to the floor and expired with
out uttering a word.
A slight fire occurred in the pick
ing room of the woolen Mill, on Mon
day afternoon about two o'clock. The
hose carriages were hurried to the
scene, but were not used as the fire
had been quenched before they
reached there. The damage done
was very little. The origin of the fire
is unknown.