VOLUME 17
McCONNELLSBURG, PA., MARCH 30, 1916.
NUMBER 2S
FELONIOUS ASSAULT.
On Second Ballot Jury United in Find'
fog Barnharts Guilty of Felonious
Assault. New Trial Asked For.
When the News went to press
last week the trial of the Barn-
hart Brothers was still on, and
did not close until 2:30 Friday af
ternoon, at which time the Jury
retired and returned a verdict at
6 o'clock that evening "guilty
of felonious assault."
The grand jury on Tuesday
morning had found a true bill in
each of the following five counts
in the indictment: 1. Murder. 2.
Voluntary Manslaughter. 3.
Felonious Assault. 4. Felonious
Attempt. 5. Aggravated Assault
It was on the third count that
the Petit Jury agreed. The
Court would have given the boys
their sentence at once, had it not
been that the counsel for the de
fence asked for a new trial, and
April 20th was the date set for
a hearing of reasons for a new
trial, and deciding whether or
not the reasons are sufficient to
justify a new trial.
In a general way, the evidence
produced by the Commonwealth
wa?, that on the 14th of last Oc
tober, Arthur Barnhart,his sister,
and Miss Viola Shi ves, were pick
ing apples on one of the big fruit
farms west of Hancock; that they
quit work and started home about
5:30 p. m., traveling by way of
the Hancock-Buck-Valley public
road to a lane leading from the
said road to thejr home. After
having gone into the lane about
fifty yards, they heard the voice
of someone farther up the main
road utter a call. Arthur and the
two women then turned, went
back to the Hancock-Buck-Valley
road, thence westward about 700
feet to a point where they found
Walter and Harry Barnhart Bit
ting by the road. According to
the testimony of the two women,
not many words passed until Wal
ter Barnhart struck Arthur; Har
ry struck Arthur with rocks; and
that in the melee Arthur was cut
with a knife and left lying beside
the road where he remained until
the arrival of Drs. Stigers and
31ray, of Hancock, who dressed
lis wounds. Arthur was then
carried to his home.
Dr. Gray testified that when he
reached Arthur, he found him in
:he road with a flesh wound on
;he left breast about half an inch
n length; another, about the same
size in the abdomen; and third, in
one of his legs the last wound
being larger, and that the three
cuts had been made with a knife;
that he put one stitch in each of
the upper wounds. These wounds,
the Doctor said, were all flesh
wounds-that the knife had not
struck any of the vital organs,
and that at the end of a month
the upper wounds had healed, and
the lower wound, which showed
infection, was -doing nicely. But
about ten days before Arthur's
death, Arthur contracted lobar
pneumonia, and death followed
on the 2nd of December.
The Commonwealth produced
a witness who testified that he
was riding along the road; that
he saw the defendants sitting by
the roadside where the fight after
ward occurred; that the defend
ants had inquired of him if he
had seen anything of Arthur
Barnhart, and he told them he
had just passed Arthur down the
road.
On the part of the defendants,
a witness was called who testi
fied that some time before this
difficulty he was in the orchard
where Arthur was at work, and
noticing something in Arthur's
Pocket, he asked him what it
was. Arthur made reply by put
ting his hand into his pocket and
drawing it out with a set of steel
knuckles on, saying, "That is
what it is, and I propose to use
them on Walter Barnhart"
Two young men who had been
working in the orchard the day
of the trouble, were on their way
to their home. They swore they
came to where the defendants
Were sitting by the road, stopped
io taiK, ana while they were
there, Arthur came up the road,
and turned into the lane. When
in the lane some distance, he and
the two ladies turned. Mrs.
Shives and Viola tried to prevent
Arthur's going back, but that he
got away from them and went
back to the road and up the road
to where the defendants were
sitting; that Walter and Harry
told Arthur they did not want to
have any trouble with him; that
Arthur got around near Walter
and hit him a blow that knocked
him down; that he immediately
turned and Btruck Harry knock
ing him down; then went back
to Walter who was attempting
to get up, and that he and Wal
ter clinched and scuffled for some
time, while Harry was lying on
the ground asla result of Arthur's
first blow.
The defendants Walter and
Harry Barnhart, went on the
stand and stated that they had
gone that day with a load of ap
ples to make cider, but not find
ing the man who owned the press
at home they unhitched their
mules and went into Hancock
got the mules shod and started
to ride home, that they got tired
riding and had walked part of
the way. After passing the lane
leading to Arthur's home some
800 feet, they sat down to rest,
While there the man on horse
back came by and the two young
men came. They heard Arthur
and the girls come up the road
and turn into the lane Walter
hollowed "Go to h-". Arthur
turned and came out the lane and
up the road to them. They told
him they did not want any trou
ble with him. Arthur approach
ed with his hand in his pocket,
and when near Harry struck him
knocking him to the ground. Ar
thur then struck Harry, prostrat
ing him. Walter testified that
when he -got up, Arthur left Har
ry who was down, and rushed at
him. Walter then observed the
knuckles, and after clinching,
got out his knife to save his life
and keep Arthur from killing
him, Walter cut the best he
could vto save himself. When
Walter got loose he at once start
ed toward home, and stopped on
the way to show his wounds to
one man. Harry testified that
he did not know anything after
being struck by Arthur until af
ter Arthur was down and his
brother had started off.
Dr. James McKibbin, stated
he went to see Arthur at the re
quest of the defendants, that he
went with Dr. Gray, on Nov.
29th, and he examined all the
wounds, found them all healed
except the one in the leg, and
that in a healthy condition; that
Arthur was suffering from lobar
pneumonia, and he gave it as his
opinion that the pneumonia was
in no way due to the wounds.
Dr. John W.- Mqsser testified
that the cut on Walter's head
had not been made with a fist
but with some solid instrument.
There was much conflicting
testimony.
The case was ably tried by the
District Attorney Hon. S. W.
Kirk, and Hon. John P. Sipes
for the Commonwealth, and Ex-
J udge Lonenecker of Bedford, and
John R. Jackson, Esq. of Mc
Connellsburg, fo-the defendants.
A Charming Hostess.
The Ladies' Aid Society of the
Presbyterian church was enter
tained at the home of Mrs. C. R.
Spangler, last Thursday after
noon, when a beautiful luncheon
of a most appetizing nature was
served. The same evening the
teachers of the Sabbath school
were made partakers of the hos
pitality of this charming hostess,
who, since removing with her
husband from McConnellsburg,
has become prominently con
nected with church and Sabbath
school work and is socially very
popular. The Hancock News.
Mrs. R. E. Peterman and son,
Bobby Adams, are spending a
fortnight in the home of Mrs. Pe-
terman'i parents in Gettysburg.
I
From dusk until dawn, threo hundred and tsixty-live nights In the year,
akrd "who works all nlffht on tho Hill?" as the residents of Harrlsburg are wont to refer to the Capitol.
It has become generally known to Ilnrrlsburgers during the pant few years that these wtuktng beacons are the windows of the State Department of
Health where every hour of the twenty-four, year In and year out, some one is on guard to set In motion the machinery nocesaary to protect the people
Li the event of great emergencies or Borne Individual In need of assistance
Gradually the knowledge haa spread throughout the State that Commissioner of Health Samuel G. Dixon has a guard always on duty. All throngh
the night, long-distance telephone rails and telegrams arrive from over the otate asking for aid and assistance. The night man transmits these messages
to the Commissioner or his subordinates without delay.
The Department of Health has six hundred and sixty-seven stations throughout the 'State for the free distribution of diphtheria antitoxin to the poor.
Whenever an epidemic breaks out and tbe local supply is exhausted, fresh supplies of antitoxin are shipped on the first train out of Harris burg after the
order Is received.
RECORD OF DEATHS.
Short Sketches of tbe lives of
Per-
sons Who Have Recently
Passed Away.
Mrs. A. M. Corbin.
Mrs. Mary Julius Corbin, wife
of Ex-County Commissioner A.
Milton Corbin, died at her home
in Taylor township, Wednesday
morning, March 22, 191G. The
deceased, whose maiden name
way Storm, was born and raised
at Cre8son, Pa. and was married
to Mr. Corbin on December 17.
18S2, who is left to mourn her
demise.
Mrs. Corbin wasja fine woman
in every respect and was very
highly esteemed by all her ac
quaintances. She had been a
long and patient sufferer from
cancer, which was the cause of
her death. She attended services
at Center M. E. church regular
ly, at which place funeral servic
es was held last Sunday morning
at 10 o'clock. Interment in the
adjoining cemetery.
Mrs. Lydia Rotz.
Mrs. Lydia Rotz, widow of Na
thaniel Rotz, late of Todd town
ship, deceased, died at her home
in Upton, Franklin county, Friday
afternoon, March 24, 191G, aged
about 49 years. The funeral wa3
held Monday, the services being
held in theGerman Baptist church
at Upton, and her remains were
taken to Cashtown, Adams coun
ty, for interment. The deceased
is survived by four children.
Additional Court Proceedings.
The grand jury recommended
the erection of a county bridge
at Gladfelter's fording in Taylor
township. Also, a county bridge
at the Daniels' fording in Bethel
township.
The petition of Thomas R. Ben
son was presented asking for the
appointment of viewers on a pri
vate road in Taylor township.
The Court appointed M. R.,Shaff
ner, D. H. Patterson and F. P.
Plessinger.
In the estate of A. G. B. Pow
ers, inventory filed and ordered
to be recorded unless exceptions
be filed within twenty days.
In the estate of John J. Mc
Donald, late of Licking Creek
township, deceased, return of
sale of real estate was confirmed.
In the case of the 'Common
wealth vs. Silas Mellott, the de
fendant appeared in court, plead
guilty, and sentence was sus
pended. ,
In the case of the Common
wealth vs. Clyde Byers, recog
nizance forfeited.
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Tlwf!Ml ' ill' ' f iJtfS
STATE CAPITOL,
OLR DISTANT FIENDS.
Interesting; Extracts from Letters Re
ccntly Received from Former Ful
ton County People.
Harry Aller, Leona, Kans.,
March 20. Enclosed find one
dollar for which please renew my
subscription to your paper, but
do not send it in care of A. C.
Gentzler, as I am now in a home
of my own. We are having sum
mer weather now and are busy
with our farm work. We finish
ed sowing oats to-day.
R. Sharpe Patterson, Con
cord, Calif., March 18th. For
the enclosed check, please push
my tab up to 1917. We certain
ly do enjoy the News. It is just
like a letter from home every
week. We left dear old McCon
nellsburg about twelve years ago.
I find in perusing the paper that
there have been a great many
changes in that time some of
our old friends have passed to the
other world. We have a fami
ly of three husky boys and it
makes me feel "aged" when I
see how fast they are growing up.
Mrs. Patterson joins in sending
kindest regards.
Mrs. Linna A. Trogler, 2905
W. Seventh Ave., Denver, Colo.
Thi3 is my address for the con
venience of any of my Pennsyl
vania friends who may feel like
w riting to me. We left Mercers
burg at 3:30 on the afternoon of
March 15th, reached Harrisburg
at 7:00; Pittsburgh at 2:00 the
next morning; Columbus, O., at
10:30, and reached Chicago at
G:C0. From Chicago to Denver
we made the trip on the Santa
Fe. We saw large corn fields in
Indiana and Illinois with lots of
fodder standing out In passing
through Kansas we saw farmers
busy ploughing and planting po
tatoes. The children, as well as
myself, became sick and very
tired in making the long journey,
but we reached Denver at 1:20
Saturday afternoon, after a jour
ney of nearly three days. Den
ver is a beautiful city, but I am
homesick for Menvraburg. My
health is poor. Perhaps when I
get to feeling better I may like
Denver better.
W. L. Stevens, of Laidig, call
ed at the News office while in
town last Friday. His son George
who visited his home folks some
time.ago, is now back at his work
on a big farm in Illinois.
Ex-County Commissioner Sam
uel D. Mellott, of Belfast town
ship, spent last Friday in Mc
Connellsburg and made a hasty
call at the News office.
HARF?lSEUEO
three lighted windows glow on Capitol
Waning Came Too Late.
Last Saturday, near New Ox
ford, Adams county, Edwin
Mummert a school teacher 23
years of age, was ' killed. With
his father and brother, Edwin
was felling trees. They had
chopped down a big oak and were
lopping off the limbs, when the
tree become unbalanced and sud
denly rolled over. The father
nearby shouted a warning but
too late as a heavy limb caught
Edwin and crushed him. Addi
tional help had to be summoned
before the young man could be
released, and after pleading in
vain for relief he became uncon
scious and died before the weight
could 'be removed.
In Licking Creek township a
few days ago occurred a thrilling
escape from death under some
what similar circumstances. Rev.
Ahimaaz Mellott, who has been
in very poor health for some time
lives in the home of Milton Deck
er. A few days ago Mr. Mellott
became very ill and one of Mr.
Decker's daughters ran to the
woods to tell her brothers who
were felling timber. Just as she
was within a few yards of the
boys, a tfee which they were
chopping down started to fall in
the direction of the girl, and in
her excitement she did not see
the danger in time to escape.
The tree which was a large one
branched into two large forks.
When the tree came to rest on
the ground, the girl stood un
harmed in the fork, the great
limb on either side of her being
not more than three inches from
her body.
Pruning Trees.
Prune annually but never heav
ily. Do not cut out large limbs.
Frost bitten wound3 are slow
to heal.
Never leave stubs in cutting
off limbs.
Wounds heal most rapidly in
spring.
Keep trees free from suckers.
Torn wounds are generally fa
tal. Summer pruning induces fruit
fulness. Heavy pruning is always fol
lowed by a heavy growth of
suckers.
Winter pruning, when the tree
is wholly dormant, increases the
vigor of the tree.
In transplanting cut back, top
and root. Burn all the wood to
prevent spread of insects and
disease.
Subscribe tor
only $1.00 a year.
the "Neva'
Hall. Many a bolated pedestrian baa
SHOES HIGHER IN PRICE.
Hide Shortage, Population Increase, Ar
my Shoes and Autos Create High
er Footwear Prices.
A side effect of the far-away
war that interests every man,
woman and child is the announce
ment of the fact that shoes must
this season advance in price.
The generally reported scarcity
of leather and increased cost of
tanning since the war, combined
with an enormously increased de
mand for leather, all account for
the advanced cost of footwear.
Millions of pairs of shoes for
the European armies have been
and still are being made by the
American shoe manufacturers.
On the average, these army shoes
consume one and one-half as
mucn leatner as the average
man s shoe.
Knapsacks, saddles, harnesses
and other material for the ar-
mies at war ana a general in
crease in equipment for the
American army and state militia
account for a still further demand
on the none too large supply of
leather.
Munitions plants have called
for thousands of feet of leather
belting and the general picking
up of business has started sthou
ands of factory wheels and
greatly augmented the call for
belting.
Autos have also made great
and increasing inroads into the
available leather supply for up
holstering. Leather is a by-product The
supply cannot be increased at
will as crops and metals are, but
is dependent on the hide supply;
and cattle are not killed, prima
rily for their hides.
The latest census reports show
that the cattle population has de
creased 20 per cent in the last ten
years and the population has in-
f creased the same percentage.
Shoes therefore are to be more
expensive. It is said that the
increase for the present will be
about 20 per cent, but will like
ly be more by next fall.
Best Buckwheat State.
Pennsylvania leads in the buck
wheat yield this year, not an un
usual agricultural result Fulton
county habitually holds first place
as to quality and quantity, where
it has stood for half a century.
The State Agricultural Depart
ment reports that more than sev
enty per cent of all buckwheat
raised in this country is grown
in Pennsylvania. New York is
second.
OYSTERS.
Utile Talks on Health and H'glene by
Samuel G. Dixon, M. D., LU D.,
Commissioner of ' Health.
Oysters furnished food for pre
historic man as demonstrated in
the great Indian mounds of oys
ter and clam shells in whi'h are
found ancient implements of war
and industries. Oysters have
continued to be an article of food
much sought after by man and
beast The oyuter however, ha3
become so high in price that on
the basis of food values it cannot
be listed as of economic impor
tance. Through its geographical range
at home and abroad this bivalve
has become fraught with danger
from the sewage polluted waters
which now reach many of the
oyster beds from our large munic
ipalities. The thickly populated
communities are mostly along the
streams owing to the fact that
man has always settled near wa
terways and in the early days of
our history the industries depend
ed entirely upon water power for
their mills. As these centers of
population increased the disposal
of waste became a great problem
resulting in building of conduits
to lead it into the pure waters
Nature had given us. These
flowing streams carried the
wastes away from the doors of
one community only to poison tho
waters for those living down
stream and at the same time pol
luting the waters covering our
oyster and clam beds as well as
driving away from our streams
valuable fish.
The raw oyster to-day is to be
looked upon with suspicion. So
great care should be observed in
purchasing them. The seller
should be known to .be reliable
and he should know from what
bed3 he gets his supply.
It is hard to explain why the
oyster furnishes a fashionable
dish when is has become the cus
tom to supply the culls, which a
few years ago would have been
thrown back into their bed3 as
being unfit for the market The
food value of four or five of these
culls is almost nil and the taste
so insipid that they are flavored
with strong condiments that en
tirely destroy what little natural
flavor the culls had: therefore, it
can hardly be said that these
culls thrown out from the cook-
able oysters from various beds,
are palatable. They are. how
ever, dangerous as they can and
do sometimes carry the germs of
typhoid fever.
Why, therefore, eat raw culls
containing little or no nourish
ment with littlfi nr nn taatn onA
- - - - . v W VUtJVW l
yet not infreouentlv parruino- tha
germs of disease?
But-
"I will follow thee, but"-
promised one who came, listened
and was interested when the
Master was here Pn earth. He
meant to be a disciple, but there
was something else he wanted to
do first and we do not hear that
he ever came at all.
If we were not so busy! It is
that which makes the prayer
meeting such a tiny gathering,
and Sunday-school teachers so
hard to secure, and leaders in
church work so few. We do
mean to follow the Lord, but
Thi3 is even the reason frequent
ly given for not becoming a Chris
tian at all, and voices explain
with a note of regret: "Yes, I
believe in such things. I've al
ways meant to join the Church
some time, and lead a different
sort of life, but I've always had
so many things on my mind that
I had to attend to, forever in a
rush, you know, that some
way"
But to-day, as when he walked
in Galilee, Christ accepts no con
ditional followers. His call must
come first or remain unanswered.
Those who seek to give him what
is left of their time, their hearts
their allegiance, after everything
else has been served, are offering
the gift he will not receive.