f Mm VOLUME . McCONNELLSmJRG, PA., JANUAKY 18, 1905. NUMBER 1 HORRIBLE TRA0E3Y AT JOHNSTOWN, Wife and Mother-in-law Muderd !n Still aef. of Night. Sister-in-law Attacked. Dr. J. B. Mellott, of Need more, seuds us a letter from his .son, Mr. S. L. Meilott, who resides at Johnston, Pa., giving the details of a horrible tragedy that occur red iu that city recently. The victims of the murder lived in Mr. Mellott's house last winter, and are well known by Rachel, a daughte- of Dr. Mellott, who vis ited her brother at Johnstown. The members of the mJrdered family are Mr. and Mrs. George Barringer, the latter 47 years ot age; Irene,'agod 20, a daughter of Mrs. Barringer, by a former mar riage, and who was married to Jacob Houser, the murderer, but " w ho, on account of the cruel treat ment she received from him, had returned to her mother's home; and Aura McGonigle, ' aged 12 years, a . ister of Mrs. Houser, who also lived in the Barringer home. Houser had frequently tried to persuade his wife to return to his home and live with him, but re motnberiug her former experi ence with him, she steadily de clined. The evening before the murder, he met her on the street, and when -;he again refused to go with him, he told her that he would kill her. About 2 o'clock the next morn ing he went to the Barringer home, listened carefully by the side of a wiudow downstairs for the sound of someone about. The house was iu darkness and all the inmates were asleep. The man carefully raised the window, '-'brushed as.de some of the t now and without making a sound got in, stepping over a table on the iuterior. As yet no one made a sound. The desperate man re moved Ins coat, hat and shoes. Then he met the first obstruc tion. A small dog owned by Mr. '.Jarringer snapped at his heels as he was walking upstairs. His wife, hearing the noise, awoke, as did the little McGonigle girl. Neither knew what was coming. Then a dark, form appeared by the side of the bed and a pair of hands clasped Mrs. Houser. She screamed. The hands were re lentless. A knife was plunged deep into the woman's throat. In the rear room of the house were sleeping George Barringer and his wife. They heard the dis turbance on the first floor of the house. The barking of the dog first aroused them, but thinking that the animal was merely bark ing at outsiders, they paid little attention to it. Then they heard a man walking up the steps and the little dog trying his best to prevent what was to come follow lug afterward. "George ! I be lieve that's Jake coming after Irene. Go?ndseo." Mrs. Bar ringer called out these words to her husband. Both leaped out of bed;" Mrs. Barringer was first to see what had occurred in the other room. By the dim light burning there she saw her dead daughter lying on the floor. Her other daughter was lying hud dled iu a heap. Houser was standing looking at his deed. In his hand was the big knife with which he had accomplished such terrible destruction. Mrs. Barringer shrieked. A wojnan of stronger nerves would have done like vise. At that the wife murderer turned. He made a lunge at his mother-in-.'aw. The long blade struck her ; in the back and she staggered against the door jamb for sup port. The knife again plunged ' hrough the woman's hack. Hous- . or neemed possessed of a manieaj rage. ' Quickly burying the knite . to the hilt in her back he turned the woman over aud stabbed her iu the breast, as he had doue the daughter. ' The limp body of the dead woman sunk to the floor be hind the kitchon sitove and Hous er turned to confront Barringer, who had secured a revolver and was coming toward him. Bar ring aimed at Housor apd pull ed the trigger, but the .weapon STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. Bill Provides for Commissioners at $10,000 Per Year. A bill to create a state depart ment of public health has been prepared at tb.9 instance of the state leaders. This department is to take the place of the state board of health and will be offer ed in the present legislature. The bill provides that the de partment shall be presided over by a commissioner of public health who shall have almost un limited powers to adopt and car ry out measures for the safe guarding of health. Iu connec tion with the department will be a commission of seven members selected from different parts of the state, by the governor and this commission shall aid the de partment man advisory capaci ty. The commissioner's salary shall bo 10,000 a year and he will have under his directions, town ships and cities, whose duties in additions to the supervision of the health of the r esidents will cftnsist of the enforcement of measures to prevent the pollution of creeks and rivers and for as suring pure water companies and municipalities. THE ELECTORAL 'COLLEOE. Roosevelt's Plurality in Pennsylvania 505,519 Votes. By Act of Congress, the Presi dential electors of each State met on the second Monday of this month, at noon, and cast their votes for President and Vice-president. 476 electors were chosen at the recent election, each State being entitled to as many as it has Congressmen and United States Senators. Out of the 476 elec tors, Roosevelt and Fairbanks re 3eived 836 votes and Parker and Davis 140. Pennsylvania's 34 electors cast their solid vote for Rooseveltand Fairbanks, and why should they not, as they received over half a million plurality. The first elector on the republican ticket, received 840,949, aud the first on the democratic 335,430, a plurality of 505,519. While Rob ert Pitcairn, the first named on the republican ticket received 840,949, Maj. Levi G. McCauley, the second on the ticket, only re ceived 840,294665 votes less. It is thought that many republicans placed the X in the second square of the electoral ticket, thinking they were voting the entire tick et, while in fact they were only voting for the one elector. The last elector on the ticket received 840,181 votes, while scarcely any two received the same number. Senator Alexander, representing our Conjavessional district, re ceived 840,214 votes. M iss Cora Peck is spending a week m the home of W. L. Nace aud wife at Carlisle. would not explode and Houser made a lunge at Barringer, who closed the door on him and he left the house with the threat that he would leturn and kill the re mainder of the family. Houser was captured at 10:30 in an aban doned mine, nearly frozen. He may not recover from the effects of the exposure. He had run two miles through zero weather hat less, coatless and shoeless. One part of the aftair that is deemed peculiar is that the mur derer made no attempt to kill his son. The boy Charles, who is about 2 years of age, was in bed with his mother and is unharmed. He was found lying on the bed in a huddled heap where he had been throwu by his father and presented a most pitiable specta cle with his tiny hands covered with his mother's blood. Accord ingly to the stories told, by the survivors of the illfated family, the treatment that Houser gave his wife for the first year that they lived together" after their marriage was awful. It is stated that he never worked and they frequently had very little to eat FIRE IN WELLS. Mother and Six Children Narrowly En cape Death. Last Thursday night Mrs. Peter Garlick, living in the David Nail house in the upper end of Wells Valley, was awakened to find her self almost suffocated by heat and dense smoke in her sleeping apartment. A moment more re vealed the fact that all the lower part of the house was afire, and her escape through the outside door was cut off. Not only was her life in, peril, but sleeping in the same building were her six children, all under the age of thirteen years. Quickly arous ing them, and assembling them in an upstairs room adjacent to a porchroof, they all climbed out on the roof that winter night with little more on than their night clothes, and the mother succeed ed in getting herself and the chil dren to the ground without any serious injury to herself or them. But heip was needed, and the only thing was to send one of the little boys. The brave little fel low barefoot aud half naked ran through the frozen snow to Alli son Greendland's a distance of three-quarters of a mile. His feet were badly frozen and cut in the rough snow and .ice. By early morning the commu nity knew of the disaster, and J. C. Kirk, V. D. Schenck and W. H. Spangler each started out with a sled to solicit aid for the now destitute family. In twelve hours there was a supply of nearly eve rything necessary to go on with their housekeeping, and A. F. Baker kindly placed one of h ' tenant houses at their disposal and Saturday morning found mother and children again housed comfortably. At the time of the fire Mr. Gar lick was at Kearney. He had been crippled in the fall, and had just returned to his work. New Grenada. 'Squire McDonough, who has been in Hancock, Md., for a few weeks, returned home last Sunday, looking much better. County Superintendent Barton visited the schools in Wells last Tuesday and Wednesday, and made himself very useful at the Local Institute at No. 4, Tuesday night. Ed. A. Alloway moved from the Valley to liobertsdalo on Thurs day. J. A Repper moved into the house vacated by Ed. Mrs. Scott Bolinger was sum moned to the home of her mother, Mrs. Briggs, in Shade Valley, on account of the serious illness of her mother. Samuel Alloway, wkohasagood job with P. R. It. Co., at Altoona, was home last Friday night and Saturday. Guy Weaver, of Saltillo, is mak ing frequent visits to our town, and by all appearances is interest ed in the music business, at the famous Black Bear hotel. We notice that Dr. 11. B. Camp bell of our town was re-elected one of the directors of the First National Bank of Mount Union at their meeting last week. Harry Black and Frank McNcal of Missouri Visited friends here a few days the past week. Graco Hamilton of Saltillo i visiting Harvey Shafers' a few days. Sleighing is excellent and the young folks are making good use of it. Daniel G. Rinehart and family of Taylor visited William Rine harts' on Sunday. Some person shot the trained fox hound, "Time," of William O. Bergstrosser recently. This was quite a loss to William. Married. At Kobortsdale, Hun tingdon county ,on Thursday even ing, January 12, by Rev. Reese of Dudley, l'a.,Mr.Cliarles E. Knep per,son of David Kneppur of Tuy lor township, this county,, and Miss Florence Shaver, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Nervillo Shaver of Kobertsdalo. ' You can have the NEWS one whole year for a dollar. FINE SLEIQHINQ. Many Have Been the Jolly Crowd to En joy the Winter Sport. Last Wednesday aftornoon, Miss Olive Grissinger, teacher of the Primary school in this place, engaged two sleds and took the pupils in her department out for a sled ride. They were occom panied by Adam Grissinger, Jac ob Comerer and Rev. A. G. Wolf, and went out to Jugtown and vis ited the school at that place, for merly taught by Miss Grissinger, but now taught by Miss Maye Mellott. During their stay at the Jugtown school, addresses were made by Mr. Grissinger, Miss Olive and Mr. Wolf, and a very enjoyable time was had both as to the visit and the sleighride. On Wednesday eveeing, Prof. Emery Thomas, provided the necessary transportation by which the scholars in the High School enjoyed a sleighride to the homo of C. R. Spangler and wife, near Knobsville. The roads were in fine condition for the ride, and then the time spent in the hospit able Spangler home was crowded with enjoyment that will not soon be forgotten by the visitors. At six o'clock Friday evening two big sleds were drawn up in front of the Public. School Build ing where were assembled the pupils and teacher of the Inter mediate Department. It only took about fifty-nine seconds for those two sleds to be filled with a jolly crowd, and soon the party were off for a sledride to the home of the teacher, Miss Estelle Logue's parents, Mr. and Mrs. B. W. Logue live miles south of McConneilsburg. Mi. and Mrs. Logue just turn ed their home over to the young sters, aud they all returned home unanimous in the expression, that they had never had such a nice time in their lives. On last Saturday evening a sleighing party of twenty-eight, composed principally of the Dick son, Alexander and Sloan famil ies of this place, drove up to Fort Littleton and spent a few hours very pleasantly at Hotel Hamil. The sleighing was fine, and with the mercury down almost to zero, it required considerable hustling and many wraps to keep the part ies warm, but the excellent tur key supper prepared for the oc casion fully compensated them for venturing out such a cold eve ning. Hotel Hamil is a favorite resort for. sleighing parties from this place, as the hostess knows somethipg of the capacity aud de sires of our people. A lively crowd leftHustontown Sunday evening in a sled to attend preaching at Clear Ridge. Of course the good condition of the roads had nothing to do with their making up their minds to go to church; they would have gone if the sleighing had been twice as good. When about half the dis tance had been covered the driv er thought he saw a chance to break the monotony, and decided to give his company a little scare, not intending that there should be an "upset;" but alas ! for hu man calculations; the sled went over, the occupants went into the snow, and the driver was so near ly buried in tho snow drift that he had to be dug out with a scoop shovel. BURNT CABINS. Miss Maine Kogerreis, of Fan nettsburg, spent Thursday and Friday at the home of George Doran. A. J. Fore, John E. Spock and Harry McGowan all of this place, made a businoss trip to the County Seat last Tuesday. Miss Blanche Skipper is visit ing relatives at Springrun, Pa. Rev. Phillips, who is holding a protracted meeting in the M. E. church of this place, has hid fourteen conversions. Oren Cisney, near this place, has recently been employed at Parksville, near Philadelphia in the steel mill. Jacob Miller is some better at this writing,. RANGE BLOWN UP. Frozen Pipes Responsible for Wreck in Horace Nace'i Kitchen. On Monday morning tho water back in a steel cooking range in the homo of Mr. Horace U. Nace ol this place, exploded with great violence, breaking the range into fragments and hurling tho pieces of metal in every direction, which badly shattered tho cei'ing and destroyed tho furniture' iu the room in which the range had boon placed. The concussion was so powerful that every window light was blown out as though they had beeu tissue paper, and, in fact the interior of the room was a complete wreck. The range was an almost now one, of tho bo t pattern, aud the water back was connected with the tank in the bath room. Dur ing the extremo cold of Sundny night tho water in the connecting pipes frozo. To prevent just such an accident Mr. Nace had seen to it that there was a good tiro ih the range Sunday evening. Monday morning Mrs. Nace was not very well and she aud Donald their four-year-old son, remained in bed while Horace went down and started a tire in the range. Alter having done so and finished some other little chores, his mother-in-law, Mrs. S. M. Robinson, who lives just next door told him to come in aud take breakfast with them and not disturb Mrs. Nace and Donald. While seated at breakfast in the Robinson home, their ears were greeted by a deafening sound iu the Nace home, as though the whole building had beeu blown to p;eeos. Hastening to the scene of tho wreck, they found every thing in the condition before stat ed. The explosion came from steam generated iu the water back and unabie to escape on account of the ice in the connpct'ng pipes. There is much of good fortune in ;.he disaster. Had Mrs. Nace risen as usual that morning, at tho time of the explosion the fam ily would have been seated at breakfast just a few feet fr jm the range, and there is not one chance M a thousand that any of them would bo alive today. NEBRASKA LETTER. The Springs and Wells in That State Nev er Affected by Drought. Benedict, N br., Jan. 9, 1905, Euitoh News: I always feel that I am getting my money's worth when I nd my dollar for the Fulton County News. It is almost the only means I have of keeping posted on what is go ing on in my native county. I see you have had a long and severe drought in Pennsylvania. When I read about spriugs and wells failing there, that have nev er failed before, I consider that wo are especially fortunate here with regard to our water supply. Wo have no springs but such as aro near the level of the streams, these, however, seem to maintain an undiminished flow, even in the dryest seasons. The wells are apparently never affected in the least by either dry or wet weath er. Tho water always remains at tho same level, which, here on my farm, is about 05 feet below the surface. The temperature of the water is about 48 degrees at auy season of the year. Our whole country is underlaid with a stratum of sand and gravel,, through which the water Hows from fa: up the Rocky Mountain slope. Wo are having a dry winter, aud ouly moderately cold. There has Been very little snow yet. Temperature this morning was 2 below, which is the coldest we have had except ono morning in Dec imber, when it was 7 below. We have the Hessian fly iu our wheat for the first tim, hence, wo are not expecting much wheat next harvest. All fields seem to bo infestedexcept a few of the latest sowu. . ' D, W. Bakeu. DEATH RECORD. Those Who Have Been Called Away Dur ing the Past Week. .. AI.l.lsON SHAW. Mr. Z. A. Shaw died at his homo in Taylor township lust Friday, aged ;;5 years, lo months, and 12 days, and his remains wore laid to rest in the cemetery at Iluston tnwii on Sundstv. tho funeral ser vices being conducted hv Rev. A. i S. Wolf of the T. B. church. Until the breaking down of his health a your or nioro ago, Mr. Shaw was one of Taylor's most energetic and enterprising farm, ers. He, several year ago, bought the old Johnnie Lai dig farm, and set to work to bring it up to the ideas of tho modern agriculturist. A modern dwelling was put up, and also one of the most commodi ous barns in tho township, besides the making of such other improve ments as would add to the beauty and fertility of the farm. Mr. Shaw was a most excellent citizen and neighbor, and the high esteem in which he was held was evidenced on Sunday when the largest con course of people assembled to pay their last tribute of respect to his remains that has,' perhaps, ever been seen in the neighborhood. Mr. Shaw is survived by his willow and three children. He was a son of Mr. Lewis Shaw, and a brother of William, of Saltillo, and of Bert, Floyd, Ncvin, and John. Two sisters, Ida and Geor gia, survive him. wii.i.iAM aii:M'T. Mr. William Chcsnut died at his home near Ilustcntown Tuesday, January 10, l'JOo, aged about 75 years. Mr. Chesnut had been in a state of declining health, inci dent to advanced age, for several months. Funeral services were conduct ed at his late residence on Thurs day by his pastor, Rev. B. A. Sal ter, and interment was made in the cemetery at If ustontown. Mr. Chesnut was a line old gen tleman, and enjoyed tho esteem of all who knew him. Ho was for many years a consistent member of the M. E. church. IIo is survived by his widow and by three children, John, Jo seph, and Annie, wife of John W. Laidig. ELIZABETH FIELDS. Miss Elizabeth Fields died at her home at Clear Ridge, last Sunday morning after a lingering illness, agjd about 00 years. Funeral yesterday and interment in the cemetery at Clear Ridge. Miss Fields is survived by her aged mother, four brothers, aud two sisters. Miss Fields had beea a sufferer for a long time, but bore it all with a cheerful patience. She was followed to her last resting place by a large number of sorrowing friends. MAIM.JAUKT M LUCAS. Mrs. Margaret McLucas, wid ow of John McLucas, who died about tho close of the Civil War, had a stroke of apoplexy last Sun day evening and died during the night at her home in tho Corner, aged 70 years. Mrs. McLucas is survived bT ono son, Solomon McLucas. Fun eral yesterday and interment was made at the graveyard at the Re formed church in the Corner. WliST DUBLIN. D. D. Deshong, Jr., principal of Kearney Graded school, Bedford county, passed through here, Fri day evening on his way to his homo in Licking Crook township. Clareuce Hoover, of Lickiug Creek township, spent Sunday, Jan. 7th, at the home of his moth er, Mrs. Andrew Hoover. Z.A. Shaw, whoso illness lias been noted in tho News, died at hjs home, Fr'day morning. Fun eral services were held at Hustou town M. E. church. His family have tho sympathy of tho com munity in their bereavement. Charles Doavrtr, who is visiJng his parents, took his first ride upon the "goat" at Barrisonvillo, Saturday night, Jan. 7. Frauk Price returned to his work at Kearney, Monday, having boon off several weeks on account of starlet fever in his family. ABOUT PEOPLE YOU KNOW. Snapshots at Tbelr Movements, as They Come and Go. NAMES OF VISITORS AND VISITED Home for a Vacation, Away for an Outing, a Trip for Buslneas or Pleaaure. You'll Find It Right Here. Harry Peck, of Ambridge, Pa., is visiting among his relatives in Belfast township. W. R. Speor of Saluvia, is at tending court at Bedford county this week as a witness. Mrs. Minnie Denisar, of Hus tbntown, is the guest of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Youse this week. Mrs. Mary B. Deshong and sou Elias, of Andover, spent a lew hours in town last Saturday. Dr. aud Mrs. F. K. Stevens and little daughter Ethel, spent Sat urday and Sunday at Clear Kidge. Miss J mett Zacharias of Cham -bersburg, is spending this week the guest of Miss Katheriue Cook of this place. , Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Beuder were visiting friends in the vicin ity of Burnt Cabins the first of this week. Squire Bert Hp mi and Mer chant W. R. Speer, of Saluvia, were business visitors in town last Saturday. Mark Lodge and sister Miss Grace' were guests of Hon. and Mrs. S. W. Kirk from Saturday until Monday. Mr. W. B. Miller, one of our valued Dublin Mills subscribers was in town last Saturday and called at the office. His paper has a "0" on it now. The many friends of Mrs. John H. Wilt, formerly a resident of this place, but now of Waynes born will learn with regret that she is in bad health this winter. Samuel Ma.yne and wife, of Martinsburg, Pa., and Mrs. Mary Maynoand daughter, Anuie, of Fort Littleton, were guests of Albert Stonor and wife last Sun day. Our neighbor Albert Stoner, who has been a sufferer for a long time from occasional attacks of chronic appendicitis, has been confined to his home for several days. W. II. Peck, of Gem, and N. H. Peck, of Ambridge, Pa., spent the time from last Friday after noon until Saturday afternoon in the homo of their brother Jona than, near Knobsville. John W. Selsor and sister, Miss Annie, have just returned from a very pleasant visit. Most of the time was spent by Miss Annie in Mercersburg, but John "did" most of the towns in the Cumber land Valley. Mr. W. Scott Rinodollar, who had been spending a couple of weeks at the home of his parents in tho Cove, returned to Everelt last Saturday accompanied by Mr. C. B. Stevens of this place. Mr. Stevens returned Sunday. Rev. H. G. Clare, of Millers town, Pa., preached for the Green hill and McConneilsburg Presby terian churches last Sunday and was entertained in the home of Mrs. M. B. Trout. Mr. Clare was formerly pastor at St. Thom as, aud has many friends in Mc Conneilsburg. James A. McDonough, Esq., who had been spending two weeks in tho home of his brother-in-law George W. Smith at Hancock, has returned to his home in New Grenada. Mr. Smith brought him to this place Saturday even ing aud returned to Hancock Sun day. By reference to tho sale regis ter it will bo uoticed that John H. Truax of tho Meadowgrouuds will have a sale. Mr. Truax has purchased a property in Charles town, FrankYiu county, and ex pects to move into it between this and spring. We are'sorry to lose two as good people as Mr. and Mrs. Truax from the county, but hope they may find their uew home pleasant. u
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers