Alton
VOLUME 7.
McC()NNl:M.SHURG, I'A., Sli PTI-MHE K 1;. 1!))(.
NUMHl-lt p
TO WELLS VALLEY IN 1824.
THE ISLE OF PINES. ! IN FORT ALEXANDER, j TOURNAMENT A SUCCESS, j FULTON COUNTY SCHOOLS. ABOUT PEOPLE YOU KNOW
JOHN E. HUSLER, DEAD.
Victim of Tragedy at Fort Littleton Died
Last Saturday Evening. Miller S.
Junes in Jail to Await Trial.
POST MORTEM EXAMINATION HELD.
John E Husler, who was shot
at the Eagle Hotel at Fort Little
tou on tho listh of August, died
at tho home of George Sheffield,
in Fort Littleton, last Saturday
evening. Mr. Uusler was aged
about C3 years, and was unmar
ried. Soon after the death of Mr.
Busier, District Attorney Daniels
was notilied over the phono, and
he gave notice 1o Justice ol the
Peace Wible to at once proceed to
tho holding of an inquest over tho
dead body. Mr. Daniels and Mr.
Wible, accompanied by other citi
zens from this place, went to Fort
Littleton, and the following per
sons were sworn in and nctd as
a jury : Clias. E. Barton, James
Henry, C. B. Stevens, J). W. Cro
mer, D. W. Gress, and Irvin Wil-
MJIl.
Dr. H. C. McClain, of Huston
town, and Dr. D. A. Hill, of Fort
Littleton, made a postmortem ex
amination, finding the bullet im
bedded in Husler's brtin.
Tho finding of the inquest was,
briefly, that John E. Husler, from
tho evidence, and from all the cir
cumstauces tending thereto, came
In his death in the dwelling house
of George Sheffield, in the village
of Fort Littleton, about the hour
of 5:80 o'clock, Satur.day evening,
September 8, 1900, by means of
a wound inflicted by a bullet from
a pistol tired by one Miller S.
Jones, on the 18th day of August,
V.IOC), at tho Eagle Uotel at Fort
Littleton, whicit bullet penetrat
ed the brain of said John E. Uus
ler, and that the said wound was
ad ministered and the death of the
said Husler caused by premedi
tated, felonious, am1 malicious act
of Miller 14. Jones, against tho
peace and dignity of the common
wealth of Pennsylvania.
The funeral of the deceased was
hold. Monday morning, and ser
vices were conducted by Rev. J.
O. Grimes, of the Methodist Epis
copal church. Interment was
made in thi cemetery at Fort Lit
tleton.
An information was made Sat
urday evening by Thomas S. Hus
lur. father of the victim, before
Justice Wible, charging Millor S.
Jones with the murder of his son,
aud Sheriff Alexander went up to
Fort Littleton Monday morning
and brought Mr. Joues to town
and lodged him in jail.
Didn't Lose Somedings,
John W. Funk, well known in
this county as a former popular
laudlord at the Cooper House in
this place, went to the "Eastern
Shore" after selling his ,iotel
hore, and nought a farm, and be
came a tiller of the s. il. Wheth
or John has any havsoed in his
hair may, or may not, be true;
but he evidently has some shekels
in his clothes, if one may judge
from his reil estate deals since he
wont to Maryland. Two years
ago, last Saturday, he purchased
u farm of L'OO acres for $5,000.
Tho January fallowing, he sold
tho timber right on the farm to
Cohen & Bock, of Tnncess Anne,
for $2,500 cash; and having made
Home improvements about the
placo, ha sold tho -farm on the
SSt'i of last month to C. M. Doon
ges, of Putmau ouuty, O., for
$5,000, possession to . bo given
January 1;1)07. ln making the
sale to Mr. Doenges, Mr Funk
reserved all preseut ct ops. and
it is said that his tomato crop
aione will net him over $400,
Second Crop of Raspberries.
Mr. J. J. Conrad, of Avr town
ship, placed upon our desk, a few
days ago, it buuch of (Inn
raspberries. The bushes upon
wnicn toe berrle treW( had pro
duced a crop earlier in the sob.
son, undwer j taking advantage
or me iavorable weather to try
wimr nana on a second crop.
Interesting Reminiscences Written Sever
al Years Ago by Mr. S. Hays Brad
ley, Now Deceased.
PLACES AND PEOPLE 'MOST FORGOTTEN
(Continued from Ian week.)
Adjoining his place goiug up
the valley was tho farm of Joseph
Edwards, Esq , (John A. Ready)
the next was an old placo out of
repair, afterwards bought by
John .Woodcock, upon which he
erected a small tannery. The
next place west whs tho widow
Ready 's (Moseby). The next was
the "LittleBilly" Alexander place,
(Moseby). The next was tho farm
of John Alexander, Esq , who also
had considerable improved land
upon the high ridge runmngdown
from Rays Hill. The next place
west was tho Ur.ltzer Swirtz
homestead (Moseby). There v, as
a small ridge or rather plateau of
land between Alexander's and
Swartz's improveiuuuts, of open
timber, which tho old gentleman
would not have cleared. Thet.ext
farm west was tiio original home
stead of Alexander Alexander,
the father of John and Joseph,
and Mrs. Gray, Mrs. Sarah Brad
ley, Mrs. Copenhaver, Mrs. Ready
and Mrs. John Gibson. John
Wishart, whoso father was Dr.
John Wishart, who married a sis
ter of Mrs. Reamer and removed
to Washington, in western Penn
sylvania, obtained the old home
stead, . (now Harvey Wishart).
Mrs. Copen haver 's piace lay a hove
Wishart's ntar to Ray's Hill.
Johnny Gibson owned one hun
dred acres adjoining Wishart's
lower down the run, (J. W. Gib
son and Geo. A. Stewart). Ben
jamin Bradloy's farm adjoined
that of Wishart's westerly, (W. 11.
ISpangler), and adjoining that was
an old place which wasafterwards
bought by John Foote and upon
which he lived when 1 left, and
upon which he died (Jas. W. Bar-
nett). Above Foote's place was
the old homestead of the elder
Dr. Wishart. Going down the
north branch of the creel: and
adjoining the Guest place there
was a tract of wild land bought
by John White, who improved it
and remainod upon it until his
death. Adjoining John White's
was an old place occupied when
we removed there by old Johnny
Giles. Still further alone Har
bour Mountain Martin Giles had
a small place which he afterward
sold t) Jonathan Horton. Be
tween that end the south branch
of the creek, was a small farm
owned and occupied by William
Piniard, a blacksmith. In 18iU
he sold it to John Wesley Duvall,
who built a sawmill on the south
of the creok (John N. Duvall). He
was a rather peculiar genius. He
leared off some land above the
sawmill which was not 'ery pro
ductive. He had some corn plant
ed on it. B. B. Aliouder and John
Dickson went up thore to fish for
trout. The corn was very short,
and they spoke'to him about it.
"Oh," said he, "that is a new kind
of corn that pushes the ears out
just above the grcund."
When we wen t to IhoValloy there
was no public school house ia the
Valley. There had been ono built
on the edg of tho Green farm,
(near tho Giffin place), by sub
scription, but it had been burned
down. The Methodist's had a
small log church on tho corner of
Allen Willot's place, upon the
same ground upon which they
afterward built a frame ono. The
P.-esbyteriauohurch upon Stunk
ard's placo was built about 18il0
or 1831. in 1828 the people built
a log school hous on the corner
of the farm afterwards owned by
Emer Markley, near the Metho
dist church. After the passage
of the first school law in 1833 aud
'84, there were two public school
houses built.onebelow A. Ready's
(known as the Bivens school) and
the other up the valley upon the
lower end of Gibson's place. The
Presbyterians would occasional
ly have service at quire Atexan
' (Cnulluucd cm puju timrj
Interesting and Instructive Letter About
This Gum of Hie West India
Islands.
BY A FORMER FULTON COUNTY BOY.
I .OS INWOS, ISI.F or PINKS,
i.sr imui s.
Io tho short year L have been
in the West Indies, I havo seen
aud learuod more than I could
get on twenty ream of paj er.
In this descriptive sketch, I will
give ,vou a short narrative of
Treasure Island history. Proba
bly no one spot in tho wor'.d has
been before tho reading pu'.hc in
the last six months more than
this "Gem of the Carribeau. "
Most people have heard of this
country, far away, little thinking
that it is at their very doors.
"Presto;" and wo are there with
the warm waters of the south
seas lapping the coral reef and
palm grown shoresof IslaDePino.
Fringed cocoanut sprays with nut
clusters at their base, broad ba
nana leaves sheltering great
bunches of fruit, tangles of grace-
iul ferns, clumps of supple bam
boo, lanced leaved mango trees
heavy with purt,le and gold dehc
iousuess these aud a hundred
more delight the tourist and
charm tho artist.
Mid the- silence of eternial sum
mer, thousands of beautiful plum
aged birds dart here and there
amongst the thick green foliage
chief of which is the noisy parrot.
They remind one of a room full of
ladies all trying to speak at once
and the result cai easily be im
agined. "Repose," "peace" and
"quiet" are Pinero watch words.
It is a lazy, happy climate; and
from the slow saihug clouds to
the swing of the palms, nature
moves languidly. But the peo
ple are far from oeing Kile dream
ers. Most of them are wide
awake, twentieth century Amer
icans, and are making splendid
progress in domestic pursuits,
aud a stall greater struggle for
national existence.
The people of the south coast
live near the sea, and like most all
southern people, are generous
to a fault always happy, smil-
iqg, and of fine physique, and al
most all English descent. Houses
are only used to sleep in so
m uch do they live out of doors; and
people may well live out ot doors
where the thermometer ranges
from 00 to 90 degree? tempered
by the cool saU zephyrs of the
surrounding balmy seas. From
the southwes.' stretches out the
long arm of protecting coral reef
that makes Siguena Bay a haven
in which in olden days the Bucan
eer found rendezvous.
The Rio De Los lndios :iver
upou which our hustling Ameri
can town of same name is built,
empties into this spacious harbor
which is large enough to hoid all
the war ships of Uncle Sam's Na
vy. Wo hope to see the day when
this deep water bay will be great
commercial harbor. Upon enter
ing this harbor one sees the lofty
mountains or Cauada rising airily
into a blue sky that has all tho
suggestiveness of a fair country.
The story has been told that in
an earlier generation it was known
as the "Isle of Pirates." A time
wheu there floated upon the bos
om of theso tropical seas groat
fleets of slow saiHug galleons
carved, gilded, aud painted
crawling centipedo -like across
the face of the water, protected
only by war galleys. A ship
would lag from the rest of the
fleet, and from behind some fring
ed headland a load of half naked
cut throats white, black and yei
low would dash upon the fated
ship and mid the rattie of mus
ket shots, the crack of fire locks
and pistols, yells, curses and jeers,
they would swarm headlong over
the rails and upon the e'eeks of
the galleon to finish what they
had begun. So thesi treasons
of gold and e liver aud j oaris that
were gathered in by Spain were
snatched tro p her again by the
(OouiliuuU ntui wi'ou.j
Jim Hess Committed nn Monday, by Jus
tice of the Peace, H. S. Daniels, of
Licking Creek Township.
Charged with Larceny
AT CRYSTAL SPRINGS CAMPMEETING
James Hess, of Licking Creek
township, is now in jail awaiting
trial at court, on a charge of lar
ceny and receiving st'ilcti goods.
Information was made before
Justice of tho Peace Daniels, of
Licking Creok township, by Hen
ry H. Shaw, of Monroe township,
Bedford county. The warrant ,
was placed in the hands of Con
stable II. E. Deshoug, who with
two deputies, Howard Hanu and
Levi Hockensmith, arrested Mr.
Hess at his home on Monday
morning.
Amos A. Williams took a Miss
Williams and a Miss Shaw to
Crystal Springs eampmeeting.
The young ladies had their extra
wearing apparel in a telescope,
which was left iu the wagon for a
short time after their arrival at
Camp. When the driver return
ed to the wagon the telescope was
gone. From the fact that James
Hess-and his son Charlie had
been seen about the wagon, sus
picion was directed toward them,
and a search warrant revealed the
missing property in Mr. Hess's.
home.
Both father and son were ar
rested; but the sou gave bail for
his appearance at court; the fa
ther was committed in default of
bail.
CLEAR RIDlil:.
AH the talk : Vacciuation.
- Miss Lillian Henry spent a few
days recently with her uncle and
aunt, Lynn Kesselnug and wife;
at Gracey.
Mrs. T. E Fleming and daugh
ter Ada, spent a lew days the past
week with the former's brother,
at Shade Gap.
Mrs. Jacob Winegardner and
daughter Inez, spent Suuday with
the family of Howard Denisar.
Harry Carmack and wife, of
Sixmile Run, visited the former's
uncle, J. V. Carmack, last week.
Mrs. N. B. Henry and son
Smith, spent the past week with
her brother, Alex Richardson, at
Newvillo.
Bessie E. Fields and brother
Earle, spent Saturday night and
Sunday with their Grandmother
Fields.
Bess Ritchey, of Hustootown,
spent Saturday night with Mrs.
J. W. Mower.
Elmer Ramsey is moving to
Rocky Ridge, where he expect3
to go into business. Taylor
Ramsey is moving on Elmer's
farm.
Mrs. Martha Wible is on the
sick list.
Henry Wilson and wife are vis
iting their son Charley, and oth
er friends, at Waynesboro.
Miss Mae Mort has returned
to Pittsburg, after having had a
very pleasant visit in the home of
her parents, J. S. Mort and wife.
' Chas. E. Stevens spent part of
last week in Huntingdon county
on business.
Miss Bess Stevens, of Harris
burg, was the guest of lur cous
in, Myrtle Stevens, recently.
Mrs. Mary A. Fields spent
part of last week with her sister,
Mrs. E J. Miller, near Huston
town. Gertrude Henry, who has been
spending sometime with Edward
Hoover's, spent Saturday and
Sunday at home with her parents.
Louie Brown spent Sunday
with hor cousin, Minnie Grove.
Goldie Winegardner was the
guest of Louie Kerlin, Sunday.
Howard Kerhn has gone back
to his work at Altoona.
Mrs. J. W. Mowt-r and IT, J.
Grove spent one day last week
wjth Mrs, Bergstresser, near
Gracey,
. There will be a festival in the
grove on the 22nd of this month.
Weather Ideal and a Large Number
of Persons Witnessed the
Sport.
" "
PREPARATIONS BEGUN FOR NEXT YEAR
The tournament and all day pic
nic in Trout's wood .4 last Satur
day was a success from start to
finish, and its promoters are to
be congratulated on furnishing a
day's entertainment during the
out door season that will soon
have pissed. The weather was
ideal, and a large numbe of per
sons took advantage of the "day
oil." Visitors were attracted
here from Chambersburg, Mer
cersburg, Clearspring, Uaucock,
Riddlcsburg, and other neighbor
ing towns. .
The lirst demonstration was
made about 11 o'clock, when the
parado was formed at the west
end of town and made a very
pretty showing as it passed
through the principal streets.
The parade was led by that match
loss horseman, 1). M.Kendall, as
sisted by his aides, Chas. Dennis,
president of the Clearspring
tournament association, Judge
Humbert, James Henry, Joo W.
Lake, Horace N. Sipes, J. Lind
Patterson, J. K. Johnston, C. B.
Stevens and John Reisner. Then
followed the McConnellsburg
Baud in their bright new uni
forms, and then came the brave
knights with their long lances,
making cne feel that he had been
suddenly transferred to scenes
of ancient chivalry.
This parade was repeated
about one o'clock, and when the
grounds were reached, tho form
al exercises of the afternoon were
begun. The organization was as
follows: Judges-J. F. John
ston, W. C. Patterson, aud S. W.
Kirk; Timekeeper, M. W. Nace;
Scorekeeper, Geo. B. Daniels,
and Announcer, J. K, Johnston.
The knights mounted werb
now drawn up in solid front, and,
in the absence of the gentleman
who had been assigned the duty
of addressing them, Parker R.
Skinner, of Chambersburg, was
pressed into service, and proved
himself equal to the occasion.
l'IKST KVKNT.
In this event, known as the
Coronation Event, the following
knights took part, namely, Frank
Dully, Walter Sloan, Hal Trout,
Dr. Sappington, Cam Patterson,
DanTiout, and Alex Patterson.
For the first honor, Dan and Cam
tied with six rings each, and in
th9 ride-off, fiDan took 3 and Cam
1. Dr. Sappington and Walter
Sloan, each having taken 5 rings,
rode off, the former taking 3 and
the latter 1.
NKCOND KVKNT.
This was the prize event, and in
addition to the sevou persons who
rode in the first, three others en
tered : Geo. Sword, of Clear
spring, Md., Ira Diehl and David
Morton, both of Ayr township.
The riding was exciting, and the
conestantts.displayed much skill.
Doc Sappington took seven rings
and carried off first prize, a dan
dy set of harness. Geo. Sword
and Dan Trout, each took six, and
so evenly were they matched that
it took three trials in the ride-off
to decide which should have the
second prize. Finally Sword won,
thus taking the second prize a
nice bridle, and Trout, the third
prize, a pair f line spurs.
' THE CORONATION.
After all this is thk event of the
day the event in which the la
dies come in. The coionation ad
dress which was one of Captain
Skinner's most happy efforts,
was greatly enjoyed by his old
neighbors and friends on this side
of the mountain. D. F, Trout
placed his crown upon the orow
of Miss Maye Johnston, as Queen
of Love and Beauty; Campbell
Patterson crowned his wife, first
maid of honor; Dr. Sappington,
his wife as second maid, aud
"Bonoy" Sloan felt that no one
was moie deserving of the honor
he had to bestow than his sister,
Miss Mary..
Arrangements are already ta
king shape for tho annual meet
ing next year, whi ;ii will takejon
the additional feature of a Horse
and Colt Show, open to the farm
ers and stock fanciers of this
county.
j County Superintendent Barton' Fourth
Annual Kcport to the State Depart-
ment at Harrisburg,
BRIEF SUMMARY OF YEAR'S WORK.
In reviewing tho school work of
the pus), year we feel that substan
tial progress can he reported. A
comparison of the work of the year
just closed, with that of previous
years, shows advancement along
alMines of school work. Direct
or and patrons have given more
time and attention to the schools
than in former years especially
was this true in the selection of
teachers, in school visitations, and
in the support of the compulsory
attendance law. This interest on
the part of directors and patrons,
coupled with faithful and eflicicnt
work on the part of an enthusias
tic corps of teachers, makes edu
cational advancement certain.
The County teachers' institute
of the week of December 4th.
marked the educational high-water
mark in the history of the county.
Every teacher of the county was
present at every session of the in
stitute, thus breaking all former
records in point, of teachers' attend
ance. It was also a record-breaker
in point of general attendance,
and in practical and eflicicnt work.
In the past few years our county
institute has awakened such inter
est and enthusiasm among ' our
people that we can not accommo
date those who would attend
hundreds must be turned away
from the sessions for want of
room.
' The directors' annual convention
was held at the county seat on
i . 1 1 i ..... i .,.t .
.uarcn win ana r.iin. i ins con
vention surpassed any previous
one in point of attendance and in
terest. We believe that these
yearly meetings of directors
will become as strong factors in
educational progress as the teach
ers' institutes.
Teachers' preliminary meetings
were held in all districts of tho
county on Saturday preceding tho
opening of the schools. At these
meetings questions pertainihg to
school organization were discussed,
and the local institute work organ
ized for the term. Local insti
tutes were held monthly in all the
districts throughout the term.
Most of our teachers are thorough
ly alive to the advantages of these
meetings and make sacrifices to at
tend all within their reach. How
ever, there are a few who seem to
feel themselves beyond the neces
sity of any further improvement;
hence, they are growing weaker
each successive year.
Our teachers' reading course has
continued to grow in favor, and
has become a very strong element
in the improvement of the teach
ers.
Five new school libraries were
established during the year and ad
ditions made to twenty-two others.
These libraries in the hands of
wide awake and judicious teachers
are giving our boys and girls an
opportunity that we trust will de
velop habits of stud' and research
that we trust will continue to edu
cate long ufter leaving the public
schools.
Ten were graduated from the
McConnellsburg high school and
live from the Well Township high
sciiool. Appropriate commence
ment exercises were held by each
class. 1 wentv-iour mini s in thn
i i
rural schools passed tho spring ex
aminations and received diplomas.
Ao new school houses were built
during tho year, hut we are glad
Io be able to report that a new
building will be erected iu McCon
nellsburg during the coming year.
At an election held in May it was
voted to bond the town in a sum
sufficient to insure the erection of
a thoroughly modern and, up-to-date
school building something
that our town has greatly needed,
Some of our rural schools aro so
situated and are becoming so small
Unit it would he wisdom on tho
part of the directors to close them. 1
Ayr township closed one school j
this year and we tr.mt that other
Snapshots at Their Comings and Goings
Here for a Vacation, or Away
I fur a Restful'Outing.
j NAMES OP VISITORS AND VISITED
N. H. Alloway, of Waterfall,
spent a few hours in town last
Thursday.
Mrs. Mary Strait aud her son
Harvey were among the tourna
ment visitors last Saturday.
M rs. Lola Morgret and her sis
ter inlaw, Miss Goldie Morcret.
of Berkeley Springs, W.' Va.,
were guests in the home of tln-ir
cousin, J. B. Runyan, of this
placo.
Mrs. Annie Burkhart and sis
ter, Miss Alice Gordon, of Cleve
land, O., who are visiting their
mother, Mrs. A. D. Gordon, of
Fort Littleton, spent last Satur
day in town.
Wm. Kuhn and wife wereguests
of D. L. Alexander's family Sun
day afternoon.
J.- W. Mellott is erecting a new
dwelling house on one of the lots
east of town.
Rebecca Sine has been visiting
her sister, Mrs. Annie Mellott,
near Knobsville.
Mrs. F. K. Stevens returned
home last Friday after spending
a few days with friends at Slnp-
pensburg.
May Johnston will re-opon her
millinery store in this place.
Look for her ad in next week's
News.
Mrs. N. B. HenryandBonSmith
stopped over night with the fami
ly of Dr. F. K. Stevens on their
return from Shippensburg last
Friday.
Mrs. Frances Fraker, of Fort
Littleton, spent the past couple
of weeks visiting her sister, Mrs.
Hannah Cromer, in Pittsburg.
Miss Carrie F. Charlton, near
Maddensvile, spent from Thurs
day to Sunday, the guest of Gert
rude Finley, at Decorum.
Mrs. S. R. Fraker, who with
her children, Clair and Beatrice,
spent the past two months with
ner mother, Mrs. Rebecca Orth,
at Fort Littleton, returned to Mt.
Alten last week.
Julian, sou of Chas. McGeehe.
at Burnt Cabins, fell from the up
per part of the stable and was so
badly hurt, that his life was de
spaired of for awhile. He, now,
seems better.
Married.
A X 1 J K I SO N M OUT
At four o'clock, last Sunday af-
terqoon, Rev. J. M. Myers united
in marriage at the home of the
bride's parents, J. S. Mort and
wife, M;ss Aunie Mort, of Mad-
densvilla, and Mr. J. B. Ander
son, of Mifllin, Pa.
1 A M S K V TAYLOR.
On Sunday, August 26, 1000, at
tho residence of the officiating
justice, J. S. Mort, Howard E.
Ramsey, ot Maddensville, and
Miss Nellie Taylor, of the same
placo, were united in the bonds
of holy wedlock.
districts may follow this example.
Where schools have an attendance
of only half a dozen pupils, ns is
the case with a few in the county,
it were better in our opinion to ar
range for the education of boys
and girls in other schools where,
conditions are more favorable.
The subject of centralization and
township high schools is now re-'
ceiving consideration in several
of our districts. Public sentiment
is growing in favor of these move
merits, uud both could be carried
into effect in, at least, ono half of
the districts of the county with
much profit to both the tax-payers
and the children.
In closing this report I wish to
thank the Department for assist
ance given me, and the directors,
teachers, and citizens of the Coun
ty for their cheerful support and
co-operation.
Very respectfully,
Ctiw, K. Hahton.
i