mm t
VOL. 30.
BL00MSBU11G, PA. THURSDAY, JULY '25, 1901.
NO. 30
rOUNli DEAD.
Tbi Llleleu Body of Jamet Thomai Die
covered Sunday Morning.
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lowly
Ben
Your Best Ass els.
Lying in a position as if enjoying a
morning siesta, the lifeless body of
James Thomas, of West r ifth Street
was found by Mr. and Mrs. Peter
Seltzer, ol Tark Street, while out for a
walk in Creveling's Woods about half
past nine Sunday morning. The body
was lying about eight feet from the
road, but in all probability would
have escaped the vision of pedestrians
on account of a heap of underbrush
which screened it from view. Mr. and
Mrs. Seltzer were looking for a shady
place to rest when the discovery was
made. Mr. Seltzer was the first to see
it and he was under the impression
that the man was only intoxicated.
Leaving to get a more desirable place
he took a second qlance which satis
fied him that the man was dead. The
two then hurried to Andrew Creve
ling's and disclosed their find. The
latter rode into town and notified Guy
Jacoby, Esq., who in company with
Isaiah Hagenbuch and W. 11. Gilmore
drove out to view the body. Upon
instruction from Mr. Jacoby the body
was removed to W. J. Correll's under
taking establishment.
Coroner Sharpless, who was at once
notified that his presence was needed,
arrived here with J. D. Uodine, of
Catawissa, about four o'clock in the
afternoon. lie empanelled a jury
consisting of Thos. Gorrey, C. A.
Kleim, Frank L. Faust, W. J. Correll,
J. D. Bodine and J. S. Grimes. These
gentlemen went out to where the
body was found, and alter looking
around decided that it would be im
possible to arrive at a verdict in the
case until the procurable evidence
had been heard. The inquest, was,
therefore, continued until Tuesday
evening.
At the inquest, which was held in
the parlor ot the Central Hotel Tues
day evening, it was brought out that
Thomas had left his home, on Fifth
street, about half-past six Saturday
evening. About an hour thereafter
he was in conversation wth Charles
Hartman, near the hose house of the
Rescue Fire Company, on East Fifth
street, to whom he expressed his in
tention of going out to Andrew Crev
eling's to purchase a load of hay.
This was the last seen of him alive.
The first witness called was D. P.
Butler, of Centre street. He said
that Thomas was his fireman on the
D. L. & W. Railroad ; had worked
together for nearly a year, or since
last August. He described him as a
good, jolly fellow, always full of fnnj
never knew him to have any trouble
of any kind; was shocked when in
formed of his tragic death, and be
lieved the rumor incorrect, until he
had seen the body. They had quit
work late Saturday afternoon and the
last thing Thomas said to him was
that he would see him in the vicinity
of the Exchange Hotel that evening.
He waited around 'til nearly half-past
ten, and Thomas, tailing to material
ize, went home.
Mrs. Peter Seltzer was the next
witness called. She told how she and
her husband had started for a walk,
and how, while looking for a shady
spot, they had discovered the body.
She appeared to be badly mixed as to
time, location and distance, and her
memory, too, was very poor. She
testified that she never knew Thomas,
and didn't think that she'd ever seen
him before. She was not in the habit
of walking out East Fifth street; had
not been out in that direction for a
long time, and had never been out
that way alone. This portion of the
witness' testimony was disproved by
Thomas Savage, W. W. Achenbach
and Jay Drown, who saw her sitting
under an apple tree near the Crevel
ing house, and not far from where the
body was found, about halt past seven
Saturday evening. The testimony of
these gentlemen was taken for the
purpose of satisfying the minds of the
jurymen whether or not the woman
knew more about Thomas' wherea
bouts on the night preceding the find
ing of the body than she cared to tell.
She treated nearly all of the questions
asked her in a manner that was de
cidedly aggravating, and had to be
reminded several times that she would
be compelled to answer, before she
would even open her mouth.
Peter Seltzer was then called. He
is the husband of Mrs. Seltzer. He
described the Sunday morning walk,
which led to the discovery of the body.
Throughout Saturday night his wife
did not rest very well, and the stroll
was proposed by him, thinking that
the morning air would do her good.
Mrs. Andrew Creveling bore testi-
Continued oo Page 8 ad Col.
The best nsset of the people of this community nre thrift, Industry, and
common sense. l!y practicing the former, means are acquired, ami hy using
the latter such pains arc protected from loss. A necessary feature to insure
perfect saf ty is a well equipped liank, prudently managed, whose business it
l" receive such aCLtimmul.it ions on
Citard them until needed. We meet
serve you.
THE-
Bloomsburg
A. Z. SCIIOCII, President.
TREEDOM 'TILL COTJET-
Jacob Evani Roleased on Surety in the Sum
of $2000
The first intimation made last week
that counsel for Jacob Evans had
made application to lion. R. R. Little
for a habeas corpus hearing brought
with it lively anticipation of an inter
esting time, and when the Court House
bell sounded at half past nine Satur
day, announcing that the hour for
the hearing was at hand, people
nocked into the spacious interior un
til the room was nearly filled. Num
bered among those who attended
were people from different sections of
the county and anxious to hear from
the lips of one who swears that she
knows the story of the awful crime.
The evidence of Mrs. McHenry on
Saturday was in the main corrobora
tion of that recited by her before the
Justice of the Peace, several days
before. She reiterated how Evans
had called at her home, threatened
the life of her husband and how he
proposed to do it. Her husband had
arrived home from Jamison City
about dusk on the night preceding
the tragedy. They talked over the
matter pertaining to the family and
home until about nine thirty when
they retired. She and the children
occupied a room upstairs, while Mt.
McHenry slept on the first floor.
About one o'clock in the morning
her husband called to her asking if
she heard a noise at the barn. Nei
ther knew the cause of it The noise
continued and Mr. McHenry acting
on the impulse that their hors?s were
in distress he secured the lantern and
started for the barn. Shorty there
after she heard the report of a gun
and going down stairs and out into
the yard she met her husband at the
gate. Blood was flowing from a gun
shoot wound over the heart. As he
sank to the ground she hastened to
administer to him and while she held
his head in her lap, he said "Evans
the dirty villian shot me, and he will
do'you injury if he fails to accomplish
his purpose."
When asked in cross-examination,
which was conducted by Hon. H. M.
Hinckley, of Danville, why she did
not warn her husband of Evans'
threat, she said she did not think that
he (Evans) meant it. She did not
remonstrate with him, but simply told
him that she did not want anything
like that to occur around her house.
After the commission of the murder
she was in mortal fear of Evans, and
for that reason did not expose what
she knew ot the case. The first she
opened her mouth was on the fourth
of July, when she told the story to
Horace Eveland, a boarder at her
house. She had borne it as long as
she could and desired to unburden her
conscience, no matter what the result
might be. When asked the cause of
the unfriendly feeling between her
husband and Evans, and which,
in her opinion, might furnish a
motive for the crime, the witness said
there were different things. One, she
said, was a settlement, which they had
after Evans had been discharged by
Mr. McHenry, and another reason
was that her husband believed Evans
was too intimate with her. The wit
ness was then asked if there were any
grounds for that belief, but her coun
sel objected to the question, which
was sustained by the Judge, and she
did not answer.
Judge Hinckley conducted the
cross-examination in the high, reson
ant voice of a man determined to
abide by every word uttered. He ac
companied his questions with ener
getic gestures and with an intonation
that brought out every point he wished
to make, and he made many, as the
incessant murmurs of approval from
Continued on page 8 3d Col.
deposit from time to time, and carefully
these conditions and will be pleased to
ln lio.mil Brink
WM. II. HIDLAY, Cashier.
ROYAL ARCANUM-
Bloomsburg Council of the Royal
Arcanum had a very enjoyable meet
ing on Friday evening, and the at
tendance was large. Dr. Bouse,
Deputy Grand Regent, was present on
an omciai visit, ana made an mtciest
ing and instructive address. Rev. Dr.
Frysinger, member of Asbury Council,
Baltimore, was also present as a visi
tor, and in response to a call he fa
vored the council with some pleasant
remarks. One of the pleasing features
ot tne evening was the singing by the
Glee Club, composed of nine mem
bers of the Order, Messrs. Vetter,
Yost, F. B. Hartman, Bidletnan, Bar
ton, Vanderslice, Lynn, Eyer and
Ent. They are all members of trie
Y. M. C. A. Choir, and their reputa
tion as a musical organization extends
far beyond the limits of Bloomsburg.
Two new members were initiated,
James Saltzer and Reber Mears,
making the whole membership of the
Council 109. Five new applications
were presented. At the close of the
meeting ice cream and cake were
served, and a pleasant hour spent in
a social way.
Bloomsburg Council has a high
standing in the Order. Its members
are among the leading business and
professional men of the town, and
its present prosperous condition is
due largely to the personal interest
and active work of Prof. G. E. Wilbur.
As a token of appreciation of his
splendid work, the council has decid
ed to send htm to the l'an-Amencan
Exposition at their expense.
The meeting adjourned at about
11 o'clock.
WENT TO SLEEP ON THE RAILROAD.
With his mind apparently filled with
ideas of suicide, Frank Beers, keeper
at the Rosemont Cemetery, walked
out to Irondale Thursday afternoon,
and after expressing his intention
to end his days walked to a point on
the Bloomsburg & Sullivan Railroad
out beyond the Water Company's
Works, and after draining a bottle
which he had with him, stretched him
self on the track with his neck on one
of the rails and went to sleep. W. K.
Pursel and Wesley Mordan had
watched his maneuvers and knowing
that there would be no train until the
down passenger train in the evening,
left him lie. When the shrill whistle
of the locomotive sounded the two
men hurried to the scene and carried
him to a place of safety. There is no
doubt in the minds of these gentlemen
but what he fully intended to carry
out his threat, as he was fast asleep
and the train would have been down
upon him in 1 few minutes. He was
taken to his home on Center Street
in the evening. There is no cause
assigned and it is believed that while
under the influence of liquor, of which
he had been imbibing for several days
previous, his mind became temporarily
unbalanced.
Plating Works.
F. N. Turner's Plating Works are
completed and ready for work. It
has taken sometime to get the proper
machinery and properly adjust it.
The works are equipped for doing
gold, silver, nickel, nd white metal
plating, and a large number of orders
have been booked. Mr. Turner is a
thorough business man, and his new
enterprise will no doubt be a success.
Paper Mill Sold.
Sheriff Knorr sold the plant of the
Catawissa Fibre Company on Monday
at the Court House. It wag pur
chased by T. D. Beckley for $56,.
090.00. He represents a syndicate
who will organize a company and op.
erate the plant on a large scale.
Men's, Boys' and
m
AT 1-4 OFF.
Don't miss this opportunity of fine
goods at cheap prices.
BEN GIOOING.
Come in and see us, we'll treat you right.
Yes-Why Not?
Somewhere, in an old book, the
name of which I have forgotten, and
also that of the author or compiler;
I came across a legend, that in the
early days of the colony, a tribe of
Indians or perhaps a mere predatory
band, had their hunting grounds along
the northern border, and occasionally
came south in their excursion. There
was some statement to the effect that
the last chief of the band was known
as O-M E-G A, and was frequently
on the Indian paths that led from the
North to West Branch, and was of
course familiar with the creeks and
mountains. Of his exploits or fights,
or raids upon settlements I have no
knowledge; but why should we not
rescue him from oblivion, and call
the lake you propose to make,
Omegah? Accent on the penultimate
as in almost all Indian names.
Shawnee
J. G WELLS,
Successor to S. F. Peacock
& Co., Market Square.
Ma:
hmw
lin
Kettles.
6 quarts,
S quarts,
10 quarts,
12 quarts,
14 quarts,
16 quarts,
20 quarts,
3SC
40c
45C
5c
55c
60c
75C
ICE CREAH
WITHOUT LABOR,
tee an m mmi
T- GK "WELLS,
General Hardwake.
in nn
?
OF ALL OUR
5
w
The Leader Department Store.
Of the price of every piece of
FURNITURE
IN OUR STOCK.
15 PIE GENT. OFF
OF THE PRICE OF
EVERY PIECE OF CARPET
IN OUR STOCK
UNTIL SEPTEMBER ist.
15 per cent, will be deducted front
prices of all Furniture, Carpets and
Mattings in stock.
That's Honey Saved to You.
0
The Leader Store Co., Ltd.,
Fourth and Market Sts.,
BLOOMSBURG, - - - PENN'A