(The changes ‘stir about the court house. The com- | gi g ¥ Ce THE COUNTY'S ~NEW OFFICIALS that took place on onday. SEVERAL NEW APPOINTMENTS The struggle fof Commissioner's clerk and ~~ Attorney seded—Nelson Robb and Col. Reeder appoipted—Dr. Dorworth county physician—-The Auditors are now in Ses- sion—Sheri Mansion Moglay. On Monday|there was more or less motion seemed, 0 centre about the Coun- ty Commission¢r’s office were several im- portant plums vere to be disposed of dur- ing the day. At the other offices there Was a constapt stream of visitors who came to pay their farewell respects to ‘the retiring officials, or congratulate their successar. The first Meénday of January is the time set for the newly elected officials to quali- fy. ; ; Recorder Norrison is the officer before whom, J. C.Harper the newly elected Recorder tok his oath. The County Commissioners, Treasurer and Sheriff also appeard before him to take their respective oaths of office. 3 Recorder Harper has retained W.D. Dukeman as deputy, who, by the way, is an excellent official and gave the best of satisfaction under Recorder Morrison. In the Treasurer's office, Harrison Kline is now handling the boodle, with | the assistance of Wm. Royer, formerly of | this office. We often fear lestthose large volumes in that department might acci- | be | dentally be closed and William blotted out of sight. The idea of a print. er sudden.s/ coming into the sight of so | much money, visions of hasty excursions to Canada often flit before us. things often happen—hut printers. In the County Commissioner's office only one familiar face is left, that of our friend Ex-Com’s James B. Strohm. Ow- ing to the present board, Messrs Thos. Fisher, Matthew Riddle,and Dan’] Heck- man, Beit x entirely new men they wise. ly engaged Mr. Strohm to remain in the office at icast until April 1st, ’g7, until they become familiar with their duties, Monday forenoon there was much com. motion about that office as the selection of a ¢lerk 1nd attorney brought ont many aspirants, iiarry Pontius and Thos Mitch- ell, of Bellefonte; Joe Barton, of Union- ville; Nelsom Robb, recently of Bellefonte formerly of Nittany, and many others were after the clerkship. All kinds of schenies were employed to work the board. Professional politicians were con. stantly hobmobing. Some winted to bet on Mitchell, others on Pontius, and ocea- sionally Barton would tars up claiming it asadead certainty. Forcommission. er’s attorney two aspirants appeared on | deck--County Chairman W. E. Gray and E. R. Chambers, each auxious to serve the county as adviser for the commis gioners. Both are politicians from a-way-back, clever, cunnmg and exceed- ingly foxy. While these two wily bar- risters wep® walching each other, Col. de F, by some strange pull, ran {1 His selection for prise to the boys, as he was never con- sidered as am aspirant. humor and Bd. Chambers seems to be ear ving a big bunk of indignation about on Wis back. Slightly on the war path, both of (hewn. Following this,came another stir when Nelson Robb was selected as commis. gioger's clerk. It was a surprise from the fact that Thos. J. Mitchell was long | ago promised the appointment and was gaecordingly preparing himself for it, The "Why ?' and ‘Wherefore? of Robb's appointment still remains unex: : Harry Poutius was hopeful to "the last, and died hard, Mr, Pontius ‘was well situated for the position and would have appreciated the appointment, Mr. Nelson Robb is at present in charge of the American Express office at this place, He was station master 6 an expert stenog- shir, bookkeeper, and we believe fully’ competent to dis- charge the daties of the new position, or outity Physicias Dr. Dorworth, of ute, was selected, at the jail there was the usual hus. and commotion incident to moving. riff and family came down ‘Port Matilda bytrain and during (day were busily e0gaged in arrang- their household effects, Mr. Harry » Ta. CHAS. R. KURTZ, Ed. and Prop. “ronister Moved to the Stone | Such | not with | Since this ap- | tent Billy Gray is not in the best of | : as clerk and C. Dale as attorney. In the afternoon they settled down to wor’ and { during the coming four weeks will be en- | + Baged in passing upon the accounts of | | What Has Been Done in the Mat- | the various county officials. THE RETIRING OFFICIALS, ! Recorder Morrison will likely remain | {in Bellefonte, and for sometime will be | | engaged in closing up the affairs of his | office. | Sheriff Conds and family have moved | property across {rom the jail. | pect permanently to locate at Millheim, Pa.,after April 1st, where Mr, Condo has { purchased a residence and will likely engage in the mercantile busivess, in which he is well versed. i County Treasurer John ©. Miles, was | as happy as a lark on Monday,and seem. ed to rejoice over the fact that his official career had drawn to a close. We cannot say what his future occupation will be. | At this point a friend called and volun- teered the information. **Miles will move | back to his Bald Eagle domain, near Julian, and continue to farm whip-poor- wills.” L. Goodhart will resume his hfe occupation, as a tiller of Commissioner Geo. the soil, on his own fertile farm, in the heart of Penns Valley, which no doubt comes nearer to his desire than the tur moil and anvoyances of official life. Commissioner Frank Adams is looking forward to a lucrative position in New York city, in the railroad service. For the present he will remain in Bellefonte with his famuly, Commissioner J. B. Strohm will remain in Bellefonte, until after April 1st,at least, After that we believe he will be open for an engagement at any lucrative posi. | tion, or else may return to his farm, near Centre Hill, Commissioners Clerk, Robert F. Hun- i ter, will continue to make Bellefonte his home. At present he has wot de. | finitely decided as to his future occupa- tion, as he has several positions in view. Deputy Calvin Weaver, has returned to his former home in Aaronsburg. As to his future occupation we could not learn. The above is a complete list of the changes made this year. Tothe retiring officials we know it was a parting with | associations and surroundings that has an attraction dear 0 all. when once tasted, has a lasting fascin. ation to most men and such was the case with those who stepped down and out last Monday. .—— A Double Surprise. In Mt. Eagle, at the home of R. C. Leathers Dec. 31, 18¢6,a dinner was held in honor of the bride and groom-—W. R. Gardner and wife, of Howard. The guests were Mr. Chaney Hicklen and | | wife, of Bellefonte; Mr, and Mrs. Miles, | of Milesburg; Mr. Jackson Garduer and wife, of Howard; Mr. L. C. Bower and wife, Jas. Leathers and wife,of this place and many others. The day was enjoy. ed by all. After the Eastern orb had sunk its golden beams o'er the ranges of | the Alleghenies and the Pittsburg artifi- cial planet arose among the celestial sat- | ellites the famous Mt, Eagle surprisers marched to the above mentioned place. It was Mrs. R. C. Leather’s birthday. Not only was she surprised but the guests who, where then present. She was pre. sented with many gifts, 100 numerous to mention. Shortly after this episode, a gun was fired which was a sigval for what fol! wed cow bells tin pang, horns, whistles and every immaginable noise rent the air. Everyone kuowing the | meaning of the commotion gazed toward | where the bride and groom had been seated. Someway, an enigma to all, they had departed. An investigation proved a horse and buggy missing from | the stable. The serenaders (brownies) | were informed of what had transpired, { but thinking it only a bluff, the harmon. ious sounds still continued. To suit the | occasion, Miss Jennie Pletcher hurriedly | dressed as bride (who was congratulated | from all sources for her unique and | beautiful appearance) and Leonard Leathers as bridegroom appeared on the balustrade. The music ceased and they | were the centre of attraction, The most | copious and luxuriant flowers, gathered from the valley, of Bullets run, were showered upon them. Daring the evening a bountiful supper was served, in which edibles of all de scription suffered to the utmost of the guests capacity. Solos, duets and Ww of various kinds prevailed. In fact a their household goods into the Stytzer | They ex- | Political life, | BELLEFONTE, PA., THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 1807, THE CONTEST FOR SHERIFF ter Thus Far. GATHERING UP BALLOT BOXES | Crontster Files His Answer on Saturday, mn One Can Forwll Eta The contest of Wm. Cronister as the duly elected sheriff of this county seems {to be the absorbing topic at present, { The duly sworn election officers haviag | held the election, and certified over their signatures to the correctness of the same, { and the result showing that Mr. Cronis. § i i H H ter, the democratic candidate for Sheriff | having received 16 more votes that Abra. ham V. Miller, the republican candidate, | Mr. Miller and bis attorney, still think they can change the result by instituting an expensive contest, Last Saturday was the time set for Mr, Cronister and his attorney's to file their This was done on Saturday Mr. Cronister’s attorneys were Newton B. Spanger, J. C. Meyer Bower & Orvis, who pre- sented a lengthy petition that was read by Mr. Meyer. of Miller Cronister answer. atternoon. asd Orvis, It denied the allegations in regard to counting votes for in Howard and other town. ships, that were not properly marked, and that ballots containing an (x) in the | circle at the head of the Republican column and with an (x) after Cromster’s | name, if credited for Mr. Cronister, they were legally counted. All the allegations made Mr, Miller's petition were considered and denied. In every election district, where any irregularities were charged, Mr Crouister’s attorneys produced the sworn affidvits of the election officers, posi tively declaring that the allegations in in Mr. Miller's petition were false and with. | out foundation in each and every partic. ular, In addition to the above, Mr. Cronister's petition alleges many gross irregularities, That in some districts ballot boxes had been opened since the election and the contents tampered with and defaced. That ballot boxes in other districts had been Jeft in vacant and remote buildings with no locks om doors. That in many districts votes were cast for Mr. Miller by persons not naturalized or duly regis. tered, or being disqualified from voting, by not complying with the election laws of this commonwealth. That in other in. stances outside parties were allowed to assist the computing and making out the returns. These and other irregularities were charged and covered all the dis. tricts in the county. The petition sets forth that over four hundred illegal votes were cast, counted and returned for Mr, Miller. On these grounds it was asked that the petition of Mr. Miller be dismissed with costs to the petitioner, A. 0, Furst, Esq., then arose and in his remarks cemsured the Democratic press for protesting about the cost of the contest, and then made a poor excuse of an apology for bis conpection in the case, making great pretentions to honesty, in- tegrity, pure and noble motives, that jus. tice and right might prevail and such like, tion on these essential points. He pre- | sented a petition asking that the court appoint ove (finally changed to two) offi cers, to gather up the ballot boxes, in {the districts enumerated in his former petition, also including several new dis | tricts, and turn the same gver to the pro. | thonotary, who shall secure bal- box, in lus vault, to be constructed for that purpose, This petition was prompl. dy granted by Judge Love, and coustables Henry Montgomery and John Dunlapp, Which Many Ilegal Votes for Miller are | Alleged—-Many Irregularities in Various | Districts—What Will the Resolt be?- No | He evidently must feel that the | public are seriously holding him in ques. lots and file the same away in a sealed ® ate Demac | of all irregularities alleged. This must | be done by Saturday, January 16th 1896. - -_—- - OFFICIAL RECORDS. On Saturday evening, January 2, 1897, | the services of Geo. 1,. Goodhart and T, Frank Adams, democrats aud James B. | Stroh, republican, elected as Commis | sioners of Centre county closed. These { men were first elected in 1890, and re- {elected in 1893, each serving two full terms, MADE GOOD | as faithful, conscientious and honest in [the discharge of their duty. It was al- | ways necessary that they should be con- { vinced that what they were about to do | was right, was for the good of the people, | and nothing could move them from this | purpose. | in the interest of the public and with the highest and purest motives, that it was {for the welfare of the county. They were the immediate successors {of a republican board and when the came into their hands the treas- people of the i county fury was empty, a debt of over five thou. | sand dollars was left as a legacy for { them to provide for. Nearly eight thou. sand dollars of the unseated land fund, belonging to the several townships for road, school and poor purposes, had been misused for county purposes and | While | thousand doliars of | had to be, by them, replaced. fiom seven to nine taxes collected for state purposes had not beens paid over, as it should bave been, but was used for defraying county | expenses. All these deficiencies had to be met, { and are cited for the purpose of showing the difficuitics these men had to contend with, when they took upon themselves | the duties of the office. All these defic- | iencies were met, provided for, and the | finances of the county once more placed | {on a good, solid foundation; the credit of | | the county restored and steadily main. | tained. The old. cumbersome wooden vault { and durable steel casing, containing the | latest and best system, that could be had | for filing and preserving the many valo. | able and very important this means a large amount of space was obtained in ecach vault which could not theretofore be utilized, and the necessity of building for the purpose of obtaining more vant room avoided for many years in come. The record books and dockets, areby | reason of this, better cared for and much more readily obtained by those who may have vecasion to consult them The court house yard which resembled a dung hill, more than anything else, was by them surrounded with a good substantial curb and two grassy plots laid that are a pleasure to the eye, a joy {to the citizens of the county, and a monument to the good judgment, enter prise, and capacity of the board who caused them to be established, They anzually contributed, on the part to the various townships always of course after the bridges had been recommended as a county bridge by the grand jury, and these approved by the Court. All this | shows conclusively that no intent of the | public was neglected, but carefully pro- | vided for while they were mecting the deficiencies handed over to them by their predecessors They did more and labored barder than any board of commissioners of the county has ever had, to equalize taxa. tion, by equalizing valuations. The ass. essment and levying of taxes under the laws of the commonwealth is one of the most difficult and laborious dutics a county commissioner has to perform. People who know well, the fact that their property is not rated too high, complain and use their last endeavor to have it re. duced. With a steady determination to do the very best they could for the whole people of the county, they withstood the assaults made upon them, and result was that the assessments made by them, dure ing their term of office, were more near. right than any previous assessment ver made in the county, In prosccutions in the quarter sessions, We apprehend that it will be a great | while before the people of the county are | served for %o long a period by three men | Whatever they did was done | papers. By | of the county, to the building of bridges | COMPULSORY EDUCATI0 How the Preseat Law Can be En- forced ADDRESS OF D. F. fORTNEY Delivered Before the School Directors Associa tion of Centre County, at Their Recent Meeting Dec. 24 1896-—-What the law Pro- vides—Should be Enforced. i i It is at least sixty yearssince the State of Pennsylvania first undertook to establish a system of public education, in which all the youth of the Common- wealth were to be instructed in what we expense, It is more than forty years since the system was reorgasized and | perfected under the act of May 8B, 1854. From that time on, as the growth of the system demanded, and as time and ex- perience showed there was need, various | acts of assembly have been passed en. larging, streagthening and perfecting the system. The state having assumed, as it was her right, the duty of educating the youth between certain ages, within her border, she certainly bas the power to insist that when the schools she has es- tablished, are open, the youth between certain specified ages, in proper physi- ical and mental condition, shall attend upon them and make any provision she may deem proper such at- tendance Our system of common as much agrowth as anything within the commonwealth. When first established it met with earnest and persistent opposi. tion, and many years passed before it was fully and freely acquiesced in, in all parts of the state. Indeed, had it not been for a few bold, faithful, brave men, wise beyond the day and generation in which they lived, the complete system of public education we now enjoy, reaching to every bome within the borders of our great state, would not have been estab. lished at such an carly day. and would {not pow be regarded if not the best, at 10 compel schools is { least, among the best public school sys- tems of the world, For some years past there has been | more or less of a demand for a law com. | pelling attendance upon the pabic schools, : hildren within certain ages. The | furniture was made to give place to neat | of ch ges. 1 | necessity for such a law, I apprehend, arose from two facts First: Population within recent years, kas a tendency to center in our cities and larger towns. This overcrowds the | smarts of labor, wages are reduced 10 the scantiest living margin, asd sou®{imes below that poiut. The nced of whatever a child, of any age, might be able to earn for the support of the family, causes parcuts, especially those working in manufacturing eostablisituents, to put their children to work at a very tender age, thus depriving them of much needed schooling, and making them mere dwarfs and machines, worth only what they can carn, stead of men and women, fit to eujoy the blessings and liberties of a great republic. Second : The inflow of a large foreign population, reaching over a period of more than thirty years, with po knowl edge of our language, avd no compre- | bension of our wmstitutions and little or no disposition to acquire the one and un. derstand the other, who put their children | to work in both mine and factory as soon | as they are able 10 do anything, where by they can earn a penny or two, and aid in the keepiag of a family or add to | the common savings, | These facts existing and stretching over | & Jong period, with a tendedcy to rapidly increase rather than decrease, caused a great increase in illiteracy within our state, In tkerefore became apparent, that if the state would preserve her fair fame, and improve the power and strength of her populatiod, something wast be done to weet and overcome this increase in illiteracy. That illiteracy is on the increase in our 8 te, is made clear by the figures. In 1970 she ranked twentieth; in 1580 there were twenty five or twentyix. states abead of her: in 1800 she was agth. Iam aware that many people are against a law compelling attendance up- on schools, public or Bivase, because it is supposed to interfere with the liberties of the people. There isbut little jndeed, very Je, in an argument of this kind. The great bulk of people, especially the are intelligent, industrious g. They send their child. i 5 H £ H z tes: fli HEH Lr call the common branches, at the public | VOL. 19. NO. 1 STABBING AFFAIR. ! id . La | On Christinas evening a serious stab. [ bing affair occurred, at Gillentown, a | small village near Suow Shoe. Harry i Switzer, a young man about 22 years of | age was celebrating the holiday by im- | bibing too freely at his home. It seems | that some boys became mischievious and j annoyed Mr. Switzer by throwing sticks | and stones at his building and one of the | missles broke several panes of glass. {This angered him wntil he became frantic, i He ran out and follwed the lads, but { beng dark they easily eluded him. Go- [ing up the street a bit farther he met {two men. He at once assailed Mr. Levi | Fye and became ugly and threatening. | Mr. Fye found it nec essary to defend | himself and threw the enraged man to the ground. a knife and inflicted a severe gash across In the scuifle, Switzer drew { Fye's scalp, and when down gave him another stab in the back near the kid. neys. Itwas a deep cut and has proved a serious wound for Mr. Fye who has been confined to his house since, Constable Oscar Holt arrested fender and brought hin jail the following Sunday since released on $500 bail and Mr. Fye is said to be out of dan will soon be fully recovered, we art ia- . Fy ’ Swizer and knew the formed, never knew nothing of what had occurred at house previously, victim of the engaged man's wrath nh Gardner—Robb Mr. David E and Miss Eva IL. Pa., Robb, ola, Pa., Gardaer, of Blanchard, were united in the holy bonds of the of Mr of Beech Creek, Pa. wedlock, at home Samuel Gardner, As the clock was striking parior was filled with the strains of Mendelssobu’s wedding march, rendered by the skilliui musician, Prof. Chauncey Deiong, of Blanchard, The bridal party, accompanied by Miss Mar. garet Garduoer and Mr. David M. Packer as bridesmaid and groomsman presented themselves before the minister. The ceremony was performied by Rev. M. 8S. Blair in the presence of a few friends and relatives. The bride and groom were the recipients of the best wishes of all present and also of many things more substantial, Dinner was served soon alter the cere- twelve, the melodious { mony and all partook of the bountiful re. past which was frequently interrupted by a burst of laughter. caused by the cracking of some joke The party left amid a shower of rice on the 2:30train for a short wedding trip, after which they will spend a few days with the groom's parents at Romola, and will then return to their future Iustanter, Elk county. May the union solemnized on earth, be solemuized in Heaven is the wish of their many friends Zavy, bome at .— Captured Three Bear On Monday December 38, 96 a Nit. tany valley hanting party was quite suc- cessful in capturing three bear. The | Bunters were Sam Kline, W Johnsonburg, Joba Dunkie, R. Haruish W. Kline, Shu- man Zimmerman, Lewis Robb and John Maize. The bear weighed 26¢, 105 and 95 pounds each, and we uaderstand were the victims of Mr. Zimmerman, who by the way, years ago killed four | bear in five mutes. Anyone desiring a bear skin should call on him, . A Large and Happy Family. several Olean claims the champion big family jof the country, the beau of which is W. A. Field. He is a happy father of thirty. | four children, twenty-seven of whom live {at home with papa and mamma. The father is but fifty-seven years old and his interesting brood cousists of three sets of quadruplets, firs sets of triplets, three sets of twins, while one, by some strange mischance, came into the world singly. Thirty-one of these children are livag, cight being boys, ti m— a At the Normal, {On last Saturday afternoon Miss Mary | Twitmeyer, of Pleasact Gap and Mr. Wm. Rearick, of Beaner twp., took their departure over the Central R. R. of Pa, for Lock Haven to attend the Normal during the present Winter term. It will be remembered that these two were furnished scholarships by this paper, which all expenses. We know they will make good use of this advantage to attend a first class educational institution. Claimed His Horse, K. Phi of Howard, Centre county, the owner of the borse found on
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