The Centre de A nV ocrat, Circulation Over 3800. LEGISLATIVE How Corrupt Politicians Secure Legislation CONFESSION OF A BOODLER| New Evidence on Missouri's Shame Wholesale Bribery to Pass Bills— | Thousands of Dollars Handled by Bribers Few people Have any couception of th ae extent of corruption that exists in years the state legislative bodies. For of Pennsylvania has had a legislature that simply meant a session of bribery and corruption, but thus far they have successfully escaped conviction, Out in Missouri, Joseph W. Folk, an energetic prosecuting attorney, has been after the boodlers and has succeeded in putting some to jail, or driving others | out of the country. Charles A. Gutkea, a | member of the Lower House of Missouri, made a startling confession this week | showing the extent of their operations, which will give some idea of similar practices at Harrisburg every session by | the political machine. Gutkea said : “I became a member of the House of Delegates in :897 and at once became a member of the combine of that body which was an organization composed of nineteen delegates for the purpose of | selling legislation. The first bill that came up after I had become a member of the combine was ‘the suburban loop bill.” The combine got $20,000 for their votes on this bill; on the ‘Union avenue.’ we got $18,000; on the Central Traction bill we got $75,000; on the Third street bill got $47.500; ou the lightning bill £47,000, on the suburban bill we were to get $75,000, which is now in the safe de- posit box in the Lincoln Trust Company, being placed there with the agreement that it should be lurned over to us when | the bill had been passed. “I acted as the agent of the combine | in a pumber of deals. Ian the suburban dea! I was present when the agreement was made regarding the bribe of $60,000 for Kratz, which is now in a lock box in the Mississippi Valley Trust Company. I went with Kratz and Corroll tothe office of a prominent broker in the light. ning deal and there $20,000 was paid me by this broker to give the combine, aod the promise was made then that $27 500 more would be paid.” FURNACE NEWS Last Friday a meeting of the directors Nittany Fuornace Company was their offices in Temple Cou pe iy this place, resulting in some important changes. J. W. Gephart, president and general manager, owing to peor bealttf and business cares, resigned and Noah H. Swayne, of Cedartown, Ga., was selected to take his place. L. M. Munson, secre. tary of the firm, also resigned. Mr. Swayne is an experienced man and will here, intending to occupy the house vacated recently by F. M. Clemson. The offices of the company will be moved from Tem- ple Court to the office buildings at the furnace. It definitely known whether the plant will be banked, blown out or kept in operation owing to the poor condition of the iron market. Prices are so low now that it is a question whether theafurnace can be operated at a profit. Mr. Gephart remains a stock- holder of the furnace. The Bellefonte Furnace has been idle furnace- bring his milly mily 13 not for over a month, owing to the low mar- | ket and for the fact that the furnace must be re-lined. Fountain Head of Three Streams. On the same farm in Potter county are two strong, clear springs which bubble up out of the white sand with great force, and about three miles distance is another spring of like character. If chips were thrown into each of these and could float uninterruptediy to the sea they would reach their destination many thousands of miles apart, One isthe fountain head of which flows into Lake Ontario, and fin- ally reaches the sea at the mouth of the Gulf of St, Lawrence. The other is the fountain head of the Allegheny river, which unites at Pittsburg with the Mon- ongahela to form the Ohio, and reaches the sea at the mouth of the Mississippi. The third is the fountain head of Pine Creek, which flows into the west branch ot the Susquehanua and reaches the sea at Chesapeake bay. Teachers Elected, At the meeting of the boro school board on Monday evening teachers were selected for the emsuing year. Prof, H. F. Yearick, of Hublersburg, was elected to take the piace of Prof. Heiss, who goes to Washington, D. C., as an instructor in a private school. Prof. Yearick is a graduate of the Bloomsburg, Pa., Nor mal in 1899, and taught nine terms since. Miss Sarah J. Waite, of Halfmoon, was seiected toteach the senior gram- mar, Prof, D, O. Etters was re-elected superintendent of the schools for the next three years. All the other teachers were re-elected. JOBBERY | the Genesse river, | wend ni sem— GINSENG FRAUD. | rate articles on the fortunes to be made | from raising ginseng. We believe all these articles are sent out to defraud the | publishing any of them. ' cent issue of the Youth's Comparion: ‘‘What has been called the ‘‘ginseng craze’ has been so prevalent among farmers in many districts of the United States that the Department of Agriculture has considered it expedient to sound au rote of warning imported from this country oniy one hun. dred and seventy-two thousand pounds of gioseng in four years—a quantity which could be raised on a single farm of seven. ty-five acres. ‘‘Let ginseng alone. It is a delusion and a snare,” is Secretary Wilson's advice to farmers.” Another article appeared Ink last week as follows : “The ginseng advertisements that were a feature of the magazines about a year ago have disappeared, but the Agricul. { tural Department at Washington hasn't forgotten them. A veritable craze for raising ginseng has spread over the coun- try, and the department is besieged with requests for plants and seeds. Upon good authority it is stated that the plant grown in this country could find no mar. | ket, as the Chinese get an ample supply [from farms in Corea. The ginseng ad- vertisers represented that the plant | brought fabulous prices for medicinal purposes, and that a small patch in any | | old back yard planted with the root would | | make a family rich beyond the dreams | of the most gullible patron of get.rich. quick schemes. According to the New | York Sun, there has been fraud in con- nection with the ginseng advertising, some of the firms sending to patrons seeds that, when planted, produced the com- | mon or garden variety of turnip.” Now if any readers of the Centre Democrat have bad the “Ginseng Craze” we think this should conclusively settle that point Let ginseng alone, is our advice, ns ———— i — ———— P. B. Crider Has a Serious Fall. Philip B. Crider has been in a critical condition at his home on West Linn street the past week. On Thursday mors - ing of last week be was found lying on the floor partly dressed and in an uncon. scious condition. Medical aid was sum- moved and as examivation showed Mr. Crider to be suffering from concussion of | ihe bralu resuiting (row ois fail. His son | F. W. Crider and wife were away at the | time, ou their journey east from the Pacific coast and arrived on Saturday. Mr. Crider was suffering from indiges. tion and it is thought that he had ap at tack of vertigo, which caused him to fall His condition since then is hopeful for recovery. Although in his S3:1d year he is hearty and active and shou!d be able to survive this shock. — - Expensive Pot-Pie James and Stephen Cisco, two Italians employed in the New York Central yards at Clearfield ust have j discovered that robbins make verv costly pot pie. Joseph Berrier of Harrisburg, ove of the state wardens, heard that sorg birds were be- ing killed by Italians in the vicinity of Clearfield, and for some time has been on the trail of the suspects. He finally secured evidence against the men men: tioned above, arrested them, and Mou. day at a hearing before Justice John C. Barclay, they were fined $100 each and | costs, which they paid, says the Philips burg Journal. Benson is [dentified. John Benson, the would be murderer | of Postmaster Leahy, of Falls Creek, and |the wounded burglar now in jail at | Clearfield, is no other than |. Brady, the | suspected robber, who participated in | {the raid on the Montoursville power house several years ago, | ed and a desperado named Gibbons was | killed. The prisoner mow in jail at | Clearfield has been positively identified | as Brady by Detective Stephen Lebo, of ! the New York Central railroad. Fortune Awaits This Woman. Chief Tillard has received this notice, accompanied by the woman's photo graph and desciiption: “Where is | Marthe Hawkins 7 If the woman bear- ing that name, or who was Martha Hawkins, if she is now married, can be | located-—and she 1s supposed to be living | in western Pennsylvania, a fortune, ac- | camulated by hier mother and step father | in California will be turned over to her,” Altoona Mirror, Wild Birds are Plentiful. There seems to bs a greater number of wild birds in this section than for many years previous, Golden breasted robiug, red winged high crested orioles and wrens may be seen everywhere, the lat. ter havirg built their pests in high-top- ped trees, The broods of young robins that are to be seen everywhere are quite tame and seem to have no fear of human beings, Money may talk but most peopie have a hard time getting enough together to start a conversation, Some of our exchanges contain elabo- | The following item appeared in a re. | Previous to 1902 China | and during | | which Watchman Alem Bly was wound. | FIGHTING ON Arthur RUSSIANS Some Heavy Figiting Two Immense Armies Face to Face —Decisive Battles May Soon be Fought They are having war with a vengeance | [4 E in the far East and operations are active on land aud sea. of special interest where the decisive be fought Arthur, at the southern end of Liao Yang peninsula, There are two points batties wiil Port still withstands the efforts of the Japa- sea. The Russian fleet at that point is bottled up pese attacks from land and avd has been undergoing repairs due to injuries received at the opening of the hostilities. On the outside of the harbor the entire Japanese war fleet {s stationed, superior in numbers and strength, ready to annihilate them. As long as the Japs can transport their armies and supplies to Manchuria, without fear of Russian war vessels destroying them, they have things quite easy. During the past week little advance has been made on land by the Japs to take Port Arthur. The twoarmies are evident- ly resting, rather preparing for a renew- | ed attack, GREAT NAVAL VICTORY In an attempt to escape from Port Ar. thur the Russian fleet, under Admiral Withoft, sustained one of the most stag- gering blows of the war, and has been forced to limp back under the protecting ! guns of the stronghold, leaving one bat. tieship with its crew of nearly 800 men at the bottom of the sea. Of the ships that escaped, one battleship and ove | cruiser were badly crippled and had to be towed back into port, i The attempt to escape was made last { Tharsday. That night, as the fleet lay outside the roadstead, awaiting a chance | to slip through the Japanese blockading fleet, Admiral Togo sent his torpedo flotilla to the attack. Steaming close to the Russian line the little war ships let fiy a number of Whitehead torpedoes and then sped away under the furious but almost ineffective fire of big Russian vessels. A battleship of the type was seen 10 go Peresviet down. Next morn. ing the Japanese saw the Russians return. ing to Port Arthur, battleship and cruiser, towing a crippie No definite reports can be secured from Russian sources as to the extent of loss they suffered. They report an engage- ment without result; yesterday's pa pers contain the following “It is reported that another Russian battieship has been discovered stranded off Tiger Rock. “It is presumed it was wrecked while in recent naval engagement.” *‘It is rumored here that the Russian Viadivostok squadron has again left that port.” “Chinese who left Port Arthur on June 24 say that only four battleships, five | cruisers and the torpedo boats left the harbor on June 23. Of these three re. turned badly damaged, but none sank. | The several large ships previously dam- | aged carried no guns. [ “On June 24 the Japanese main army | was within fourteen miles of Port Arthur, | Their scouts were nearer, | “Little information leaks out of Port Arthur. Most of the non combatants { have caves in the hills or underground { cells, where they spend the nights in | safety, | parks.” LARGE ARMIES CLASH. sembled. The Russian forces are under are two Japanese armies under Generals Oku and Kuroki. The Russian general is endeavoring to work his way south. ward to relieve the garrison peuned up | been trying to prevent the two opposing armies from uniting. In the north at least 300,000 men are in the opposing forces and a decisive engagement may take piace, The past week there have been numerous skirmishes, On Monday hours by which the Russians were forced from three mountain passes by frontal and flank attacks and General Kuropat- kin was forced to make a hasty retreat fearing that he would be separated from his base of supplies, Harry Clark, a resident of Nippenose valley, met with a painful and serious accident which may result in the loss of his right band. While working in a saw mill, hand slipped and came in con- tact with a rapidly revolving saw. His hand was ripped across the palm in such a manner that the entire four fingers hung limp and free from the rest of ihe hand. Its likely that the member will have to be ampatated but efforts are being made to save it, . LAND AND SEA | public and this paper has refrained from | Several War Vessels Lost at Port | ARE RETREATING | in Progress— | Bands play occasionally in the | In the Northern part of the Liao Vang | | peninsula two immense armies are as- | General Kuropatkin, Opposed to him | | & desperate encounter ensued lasting six | BELLEFONTE, PA. THURSDAY, JUNE 30. 1904. i | A MIRACLE, | ; . The most remarkable college student {in the world will get her degree from | Radcliffe. This student is Helen Keller, | who is a blind deaf-mute, and has Leen | so affected since babyhood. Up to her | seventh year she had no means other than a few instinct gestures and inarticu- | late cries of her { dwelt in mental as well as physical dark- But that Hele { Keller has become was there quick, strong mind those around Nhe | ness. the ry n germ of all since ind, an ardent, sy | thetic temperament and great strength of A teacher found the wav ¢ inte! { character. the child's ge » the language of the finger nee and tb IY mea: raining questions and this girl is a scholar geting i Now good Greek as Freuch and German as with Boglisi fair mathematician. and of wide ac tance with the world’s literature has written books and written them 39 that there can be no doubt of her | talent, More speak, and often addresses audiences on behalf of the blind, unable to well wer, she has learned to herself, of course, hear a word that she uiisis. At Radcliffe she has had to overcome : tremendous difficulties classmates were from which ber free, but she has met them: courageously and cheerfully ing no favors | credit. Helen Keller stration of the transforming power education. But for the patient and skil- | ful teaching that led her out of the night in which she was imprisoned, she would , ask- She will graduate with is a wonderful demon f ol nl haye remained an infant in burden of pain to all upon whom che was dependent. To-day, vated and sunny hearted ber own intellect, a gifted, cuiti. she is a joy to peopie and a benefactress to denied such as are Hers will fug usefulness sight and hearing be a life of large and continu. ENGINES SMASHED The coolness and presence of mind Carson Smith, of Lock Haven, of the Bald Eagle Valiev flyer, prevented what might have been a serious wreck on SatusMy afternom near Beech Creek Oo! nRinees { The fiver on the Bald Bagle Valley | | road is due at Lock Haven at 2:10 p. m. and Saturday aftern the Engineer oon, while the train was on main Beech Creek rack at station, Smith saw a freight He come around the curve to b 3 train. bo gan came together with | heer 4 AL passengers a su many of them against the seat No one of them. was seriot quite a number of ; bruised and one gash cut on ber face both somewhat damag in the windows broken, Eugines Creek to move the trains ran ghert, of Bellefonte, who is a passenger brakeman on the road was in the cab of the passenger engine and with others jumped before the engines crashed else they would have been injured. The cause of the collision was the ability of the engineer of the freight to control his train because the air brakes refused to respond when applied. There or in- is a down grade for half a mile as the | freight train came up towards the sid- ing and a sharp curve which prevented those on the passenger train from seeing the approach of the freight. gines were not greatly damaged and | were taken to the Altoona shops for re. pairs, Peach Crop a Failure. The peach crop in Pennsylvania will amonnt to practically nothing this year, | and there is a stroug prospect of peach | culture dying out entirely in this state, according to a statement made in Harris | burg by State Economic Zoologist H. A, | | Surface, who is probably better posted | { than any other person, upon the condi, | at Port Arthur and in his movements has Pe bet ’ | lion of Pennsylvania fruit trees, | state and is in constant communication with fruit growers and he pronounces | their reports regarding the fruit crop | winter many of the twigs of peach trees greatest loss by far will be due to the scale, In Clinten county where, in form. er years, the finest crops of peaches were grown, the crop is as much of a failure as elsewhere im the state, Here and there a farmer has a few trees that will produce a light crop, but generally ine trees are barren of fruit. Mechanics Going West. Altoona Tribune :— There are a num ber of Pennsylvania Railroad company mechanics who were thrown out of work by the wholesale suspensions that are going west in search of work. Several have gone to St. Paul and others to other points iu the northwest, The en- | Prof, | | Surface has visited many parts of the | most discouraging. Becaese of the severe | were frost bitten just above the place | where the blossoms should grow, but the | OUR HISTORICAL REVIEW A Column of Incidents Back the Fifties in SURVEYS FOR RAILROADS Pennsvalley in ING2 and Parties the Baldeagle Political Items of Special In Other Importance—An Epidemic 1 of Boggs at | by striking off the upper end a little al the mouth of Wallis Monday a ling was thousand bushe rain ed. D. W. McCoy, the the heaviest loser 20th, was 1852: ~Tuesday re. marked as the January coldest day experienced | for many years, thermometer fifteen de- grees below zero at sunrise, at noon stood at zero, and at sunset four degrees below. In the spring of 1852 the Maine Liquor Law, as it was called, was large- ly agitated in the held ; to ounty, and many ap- sentiments of meetings commitiees the nominees for the Senate and House upon the as a bever- were pointed inquire the enactmeat of a law prohibiting sale of intoxicating age and Charles R liquors " The answers of James W. Quiggle were not satis factory. John Thompson was nominated Mitchel! quar i for State senator, and Nathan J for Assembly, This, however, upon anoaoti.i ry the usua George W. Wood. idge ha result in the ward for supreme d ten dred and thirty. nine majority 3 hundred and Mr for Assembly ram one twelve ahead of the Mitchel] Muncy mountain except Rush and Sn stale licketl. carried the county north w ymely, and Harris township and Half-Moos, aud Bellefonte borough south of Muncy Shoe hand monniain, bul made no impression on of the Democratic Penn's and Brush valleys. 1852: —October 24th, the new Metho. dist Episcopal church Bish ranks was dedicated in Bellefonte it. Morde . ud ' e; &Na4 Jat George Boal, president; George Wea was Buchanao, secretary; and James F assistant secretary The held on Mr. McAllister's farm, Bellefonte, he having of his field, charge. Feb. 11, a large meeting was held at Old Fort favorable to a railroad from Lewisburg through Penn's valley. Hon. George Boal, president; H. 8S. { Gross, Dr. Charles Smith, vice presidents; { Col. John Love and J. I. Gregg, secre- { taries, The meeting was addressed by | Gen. James Irvin, Gen. George Buchan. | an, David Duncan, and Judge John Has- ison. The act incorporating the Lewis. | burg, Centre and Spruce Creek Railroad | became a law April 12, 1853. Benner township was erected out of | Spring at April sessions, 1853, a mere | division of Spring township by a lime | running from near Purdue's Gap south | easterly to Nittany mountain, ver, fair east of tendered the use farm-house and barn free of 1353 In 1853 there arose a rivalry between the people of Bald Eagle valley and | those of Penn's valley in securing rail. The Lock Haven and | Tyrone Company was authorized by act of 25th February, and the Lewisburg, Centre and Spruce Creek by act of April { 12th. Preliminary surveys were made { road facilities, {on both. The Penn's valley survey was i commenced at Lewisburg by John M. | Sheafer, assistant engineer, May 13th. In a report thereof he says from the head of Penn's Creek Narrows to Spring Mills, the line is a good ome. summit of any consequence which is en- countered from Lewisburg, a distance of forty-seven and a halt miles. The heavi. est grades necessary to overcome this summit will be fifty-two and eight-tenths per mile ; ascending from Sinking Creek for about two and a hall miles, and thirty-three feet per mile; descending to Spring Creek, at or near Boalsburg, for three miles. From Boalsburg to Pine Continued on page 4. | kisses the gir VOL. 26. XO. 26. FACT, FUN AND FANCY, Bright Sparkling Paragraphs —Selected and Original when her is with her beau love.light ino h K his eye “If you dare to kiss me I will call “I thought you said your father “He is.’ is your idea of a truly good “A truly good papa!” was in California 7 *‘What wife 7" asked the youth wife,” answered the sage, ‘‘is one who loves her husband acd her country, but doesn’t attemps t Phil delphia Inquirer, A woman divorce because her 3 Tr ‘ a indo - & Fy na servant girl, he judge refused because he said he did not propose to establish a precedent reby nearly every woman was asked the position on her reply was on a chair, with ACTORS my Knce A young man c 1 takes along a small app Al the proper time he tosses the apple up in the air. If it comes down he If it stays up be does If apples are scarce, most anything a Hr le not, cise will de nm on Os§ of his eight mouths’ risonment the coun in ty ‘our uths of this period were no fall, ¥ 3 to be deducted m case he paid a $100 fine imposed. The old man refused even to make an effort to pay the fine, For nearly 12 months he has been a voluntary prisoner, spending much of his time in his cell, even refusing to goto the front door of the jail to look into the street. The only provision necessary to obtain his freedom would be to take ad- vantage of the debtors’ insoivent act, but this, be says, he will never do, preferring to remain a prisoner. Had Scripture for it. James Whitcomb Riley tells a story of an old fellow who asked for work at the Riley farm in the poet's bovhood, ac. cording to the New York Times. He was set at hoeing potatoes, but did sot prove to be especially industrious. When taken to task for his lack of appli. cation he only replied : “Wall, the Good Book says ‘Do all things in moderation.” ”’ “Well, it came on dinner time at last,” says the humorist, “and the old codger did his share mobly. In fact, he ate enough to kill two or three ordinary men, Someone gently hinted that his text didn’t seem to apply. He opened a worn little Bible and imperturbably pointed to a passage. Itread : “What. | soeyer thy hand findeth to do do it with Near | Spring Mills the line strikes Sinking | Creek, and follows it to near Centre Hill, | which is the summit between Penn's | Creek and Spring Creek, and the first | | all thy might I" Found Guilty. Monday evening Dr. A. R. Markel, a prominent dental practitioner of Tyrone, was convicted of committing a crime up: on Miss Viola Beck, a patient, while under the influence of ether, A recom. mendation for mercy was attached to the verdict, The maximum penalty for rape is a fine and imprisonment not exceeding fifteen years. Eungloeer James Miller, of Tyrone, has {sold his property to Mr. Heberling, of Eagleville, Consideration $1,475.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers