st * tev^ bt * ry
VOL. 55—NO 62
ITEMS CONDENSED..
WANTED—LocaI agent to advertise
and introduce the new educational
work, WEBSTER'S DICTIONARY
and ATLAS of the WORLD. Must be
educated and able to furnish good re
ferences as to ability and character.
THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING
COMPANY, AKRON, OHIO.
Coaldale will get a National bank
with a capitalization of $25,00#.
Over 800 pounds of turkey were re
quired for the Christmas dinner at the
Berks county almshouse.
Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Ebers and their
son Charles,of Pittsburg, were thrown
from a sleigh drawn by a runaway
horse that had been frightened at tie
noise of a mill at Etna. All were in
jured seriously.
With the assistance of the operators
the Young Men's Christian association |
has begun a wide campaign in eastern
Pennsylvania for the establishment of j
mining institutes throughout the an- j
thraeite regions.
Ten persons were injured, C. H.
Myers probably fatally, when a car ou j
the Pittsburg, Harmony, Butler and j
New Castle railway ran into another
five miles south of Evans City. Six of
the passengers' hurts were of a minor
character.
When the murdered Mrs. Maria
Woods, a Braddock nergess, aged 72,
was buried, many of the wealthiest
families of Braddock and Hawkins at
tended the funeral. She had been a
servant in many well known families
and all whom she had waited ou were
represented at the services. She was
killed during a quarrel and Grant Mc-
Oleary, a boarder at her home, is
charged with having committed the j
crime.
Two hundred young men and women
were caught in a dance hall at Darby '
by the recent snow storm and were !
unalde to get home, most of them liv- !
ing in Philadelphia. They danced on
not thinking about tho drifting snow I
outside and when they were done with 1
the merrymaking they found the street
ear lines tied up and that the borough j
had no hotel accommodations. Most of
them were cared for by Darby resi
dents, after having remained in the
dance hall over night.
One dollar a qaurt for milk was of
fered in Tioga because the milkmen
were not able to supply their custom- |
ers during the recent fall and drifting
of snow. Many babies suffered. A man
approached one of the milk dealers ]
and asked for a quait. The dealer said
he could not spare it. Then tho man j
offered a dollar. He told the milkman
that he wanted it for a baby. The !
man would not. take the dollar and j
saiil that if the fellow was not telling
the truth he hoped he would suffer for j
it,
Mrs. 11. Raymond Davidson, of Sha
mokin, first wife of a ball player said j
to be of the Tri-State league who died j
in Reading last week, has not eateu j
anything since last Friday and is in a
serious condition. She is worried over
her husband's alleged matrimonial j
escapades.
James W. Friend, aged 05, vice presi- |
dent of the Pressed Steel Car com- 1
pany, died at Pittsburg recently,after
being in ill health for several months, j
He was an office holder in many other
corporations.
Realizing the great danger of fire in j
Philadelphia and how hard it would j
be for the horses to get through the j
deep snow, the number of horses in
e stations has been doubled.
It. Michael's seminary, in a Read- |
suburb is being turned into a tub- I
111 k ilosis sanitarium for the use of the |
Sisters of the Sacred Heart, j
Nine-year-old Henry Yenzer paid j
back Henry Schoedler, of near Gut lis- I
ville, who had adopted him, by cooly
setting the latter's barn afire. The I
structure was destroyed. Yenzer had
been adopted to fill the place of a
dead boy but has been returned to '
his parents.
Joe Ascntio, an employe of the big |
tannery at Ridgway, Elk'county, was
shot and killed at Jolm-onburg whfr.i
he went to visit. Ho had received 1
Black Hand letters but paid no atten
tion to them. was approached and I
asked for his "by Joe Pon
netti, it is said, and when he an- ]
swered that he had not paid it, the 1
shooting began. Ponnetti was injured
in the rumpus. One other man is un- j
der arrest.
Tipped off by an anonymous letter
supposed to have been written by a j
jealous rival, the police caught Char
les Beaver, a bail jumper under in
dictment for a jewelry robbery com
mitted at York two years ago. Beaver
had stolen home over Christmas to
see his relatives and sweetheart. The
officers surrounded his home near
Smyser's station, York county, and
surprised him. John Engle, his bonds
man. had offered #SO reward for his
capture. In a short time the #I,OOO
bond would have been forfeited.
Mrs. Marv Herline died at Bethle
hem grieving over the recent accident
al death of her husband.
TWO FIRES ON
SUNDAY EVENING
Two fires occurred Sunday evening,
one cf which imperiled Emerick's
five and ten store, Mill street,
and the other destroyed a dwelling
with its contents near the hospital.
The fire at the five and ten cent
store occurred about 7 o'clock. The
store, of course, was closed. Mr. and
Mrs. W. J. Emerick, who occupy
rooms above the store, returned from
an automobile ride about dark. At in- j
tervals the occupants of the flat above I
were passing backwards and forwards i
through the store room and theie was ;
nothing to suggest an outbreak of
fire.
About the hour above named, how- t
ever, Mr. anil Mrs. Emerick detected
the odor of smoke, which ou investi
gation was found to come up the
stairs. Hastily descending to the j
store room they found the contents of
the desk 011 fire, which was contained
in a small ajiaitment partitioned off
at the rear end of the store room. The
flames were confined mostly to articles '
on the desk and blazing upward were !
fast consuming a lot of valuable pap- j
eis in the form of bills and copies of !
orders which hung suspended along j
the wall.
The fire had [already laid 1 hold of j
the woodwork and was spreading in
every direction. A bucket of water
thrown on the flames seemed to have
no other effect than to scatter the fire,
when Mr. Emerick happened to think j
of a blanket wet from exposure to the j
snow which he had hung up in the :
store on returning from his automo- |
bile ride. Seizing this blanket he j
threw it over the fire and succeeded j
in smothering it.
The damage sustained to the build- i
ing was very slight. Mr. Emerick is
unable to account for the fire. It orig- !
inatcd quite near a light bulb, but
there is 110 evidence to show that the ;
latter was responsible for the blaze.
On the top of the desk, among other
articles that burned, was a pile of cel
luloid goods anil it was the brisk blaze
arizing from these that ignited the'
pajiers hanging on the wall. The i
amount of goods destroyed represents !
a very small value. It is the loss of ■
the bills and the copies of the orders '
that Mr. Emerick most deplores, as
they represent extensive purchases em
bracing Easter goods.
The second firo occurred about 8:80 :
o'clock. The blaze was soon located j
along East Market street extension.
An alarm brought out the Friendship
and the Washington Fire companies.
The burning building was on the right
side'of the road near the block of new
dwellings on the hospital ground. The
house, a frame structure, was occupi
ed by Albert Swank as tenant, al
though the family was absent from the
house at the time of the fire.
When discovered the flames had
made considerable headway in the
rear part of the dwelling and by the
time the tire companies arrived there
was little hope of saving the building.
The hose was connected with the plug
on the hospital ground but the abuud- !
auce of water was of no avail and the
dwelling was totally destroyed along
with the tenant's furniture.
How the fire originated is a mystery.
One theory is that the house was brok- j
en into by tramps or others, who in
advertently started the blaze. Owing
to the high wind the block of dwell- j
ings belonging to the hospital was in
considerable danger of being ignited
by firo brands.
The dwelling burned was originally j
a farm house, tiie barn 011 the tract ,
having been destroyed by fire a couple
of years ago. The owner is James j
Ward of this city, who carried a small
insurance. Mr. Swank, the tenant, who
( lost all his goods, had no insurance.
FRIENDSHIP OFFICERS
The annual election of officers of tho
Friendship Fire company, No. 1, took
place last Saturday evening, the fol
lowing being chosen for the year 15)10:
President, Harry Trumbower; vice
president, William V. Oglesby, Esq. ;
; secretary, John G. Waite; treasurer,
John L. Russell; foreman, Edward
Aten : first assistant foreman, Warren
Roat; second assistant foreman, Harry
1 Heller; engineer of steamer, John L.
Russell; assistant engineer of steamer,
; Harry Johns; fireman of steamer,
i Harry Saunders; pipemen, Will G.
' Brown, Harry Kauffman, Austin Ilart-
I man, Harry Mapstone; members of ex
i ecutive board, Harry T. Rupp, John
j G. Waite and Edward Aten; plugmen,
John L. Russell and Harry Trmubow
-1 or; delegate to State convention, Harry
| Kauffman; alternate, John L. Jones;
| delegate to Six-County convention,
Harry Heller; alternate, Geo. Freeze;
trustee for three years, George Freeze,
members of relief association, H. E.
Trumbower and William Roat.
Dr. and Mrs. Lewis Steinbrenner re
turned to Troy, New York, last even
ing after spending several days with
the former's mother, Mrs. Annie
Steinbrenner, Front street.
DANVILLE- }PA., THURSDAY. DECEMBER 30, 1909
SCHOOL BOARD
IN SESSION
The school board lielil ft regular
meeting Monday night with President
Sechler in the chair and W. H. Ortli
as secretary. Among the members pres
ent were Messrs. Swarts, Burns, Red
ding, Shultz, Pursel, Fischer, Heiss
and Cole.
J. W. Swarts reported that the roof
of the first ward school building had
been repaired.
Mr. Fischer reported that the bor
ough council had as yet failed to rem
edy the defect in drainage at the
Welsh hill school house. Conditions at !
present, he said, are such that an ac
cident might occur there at any time.
Mr. Fischer reported that the fur
naces in the second ward are out of
order, making it difficult to heat the |
building. On motion it was ordered
that an expert bo employed to ex- j
amine the furnaces.
The subject of overcrowding in Miss '
Lawrence's room in the third ward
was discussed at length. Dr. Shultz of
the committee to which the matter
was referred at the last meeting re
ported in favor of utilizing some idle
furniture in the third ward and em
ploying an additional teacher. Bor
ough Superintendent Dieffenbaclier
reported that at least ten children, who ■
have attained the proper age, will
enter Miss Lawrence's room after the
holidays swelling the number consid
erably. The board did not like the idea
of employing an additional teacher, if j
the overcrowding could be relieved in j
any other manner that would prove i
practicable. The subject was discussed
in its various relations, when on 1110- !
tion it was ordered that the matter be
left in the hands of the transfer com
mittee to act in conjunction with the
borough superintendent, reporting at '
the next meeting of the board.
The following bills were approved
for 1 ayment:
Geo. W. Hendricks $1.1)0
William Quigg 8.00
Foster Bros BO
Chas. Mottern 1.00
David Grove 90 j
Emery Shultz 1.30 j
Fitch Dustdown Co 26.5)5 j
P. & R. R. R. Co 4.15 |
West Disinfecting Co 24. t>3 ;
Geo. G. Groff 24.80!
A. Flannagan Co 2.22 j
D. N. Dieffenbaclier 4.(12 j
I PERSONALS !
I
Jesse Taunehill arrived in this cilv j
from Philadelphia last evening for a !
visit with his mother, Mrs. Mary Tan- |
nehill. East Market street.
G. W. Hoke, Ferry street, was in
Sunbury 011 business yesterday.
Miss Elise Wilson has returned to |
Wilkes-Barre after a visit of several j
days with friends in this city.
L. H. Farrell returned Tuesday even- ;
ing after a visit witli his parents, Mr.
and Mrs. F. 11. Farrell, Dushore.
Miss Gussie Bruder, Bloom street, j
has returned after a visit with rela
tives in Scranton.
Mrs. Joseph Metcalf and daughters,
Verda and Hannah,returned to Nanti- '
coke last evening after a visit with
Mr. and Mrs. Evan Thomas, Railroad 1
street.
Mrs. Frank Hummer, South Dan- !
ville, left last evening for a visit of
several days with her mother, Mrs. 1
Mary Heacock. Catawissa.
Mrs. Margaret Girton, Walnut street, 1
left yesterday for a visit of several !
days with relatives in Shamokin.
Dr. I. Grier Barber,of Wilkes-Barre, I
was the guest of George Souneborn.of j
the south side, ou Tuesday.
1 Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Gottshall and !
: children returned to Harrisburg yes-|
, terday after a visit with Mrs. Gott
| sliall's] mother, Mrs. Clara Smith, ;
j Riverside.
James Law, Hemlock street, spent I
i yesterday with friends in Sunbury.
Earl Renn returned to Philadelphia
! yesterday after a visit with his par- !
! outs near Mausdale.
i Miss Mildred Emerick, Mill street, '
returned yesterday after a visit with
her grandparents, Mr. anil Mrs. Oscar,
Gilbert, Milton.
GRANGE OFFICERS
The annual election of Strawberry.
. Ridge grange, No. 84, Patrons of HUB- j
I bandry, was held Tuesday evening,
j the following officers being chosen : \
| Master, E. M. Mourer; overseer, A.
Dietrick; lecturer, J. W. Lowrie;
Stewart, Norman Maust; assistant
Stewart, Archie Girton ; chaplain, Mrs.
C. E. Boone; treasurer, H. C. Rishel;
secretary, C. E. Boone; gate keeper, j
Mollie Mowrer; Ceres, Mrs. E. M.
I Mowrer; Pomona, Mrs. 11. C. Rishel;
! Flora, Mrs. J. W. Lowrie; lady assist
ant steward, Eva Mowrer.
The installation will take place next
Tuesday evening.
TURKEY DINNER
FOR CHILDREN
If the turkey dinner prepared for
children at the East End mission is to
be regarded in the light of an experi
ment then it is gratifying to note that
the affair has proven a flue success and
has worked out in such a manner as
meets the most sanguine expectations
of those who conceived of the under
taking. At least 175 children were fed
in the mission.
No more interesting and, indeed, no
more touching spectacle could be wit
nessed anywhere *han was revealed in
the cozy mission Tuesday afternoon.
The greater part of the floor space was
covered with long tables, around which j
were seated scores of little people, not
a few so small that they were scarcely
able to sit alone. All were smiling J
and ,happy and were plainly doing i
justice to the delicious and well fill- j
ed plates before them. As one set
finished their dinner they made way !
for another set and thus tho merry
round of feasting went on from 3
o'clock until nearly dark.
The children were not all those of
the necessitous poor, although it was
strikingly obvious that in the number
fed were some of the latter class. Mr.
Hinckley explained ttiat it was not the
purpose to exclude any class,as one of
the objects aimed at was to wipe out
distinctions and to bring the boys and
iris of the well to do families should
er to shoulder with the poorer and less
favored ones.
Mr. Hinckley is especially gratified
at the splendid support lie received in
getting up the dinner. What the ]>eo
ple did they did willingly,in some in
stances even instructing him to call on
them for additional help in case it
should be needed.
As a result, lie said, a considerable
quantity of turkey and other eatables ;
provided would be left over. This lie j
explained,would bo distributed among '
the poor and presented to families in '
which there is sickness.
THE CHIEF'S REPORT
Chief of Police Mincemoyer's annual I
report, shows that over MO tramps ■
have been sheltered in tho lockup dur- j
ing tho past year. This is largely in j
excess of any number that has been |
taken care of in one year since a rec- j
ord of lodgers lias been kept by the j
chief of police. Tho above number I
represents only a small detatchnieut of '
hoboes which has come this way and
conveys some idea of the great army I
of vagrants that unceasingly moves
backward and forward over the land, j
Nearly every night at this season up- |
wards of a half a dozen roost in the j
lockup. The borough very gladly gives j
them shelter,taking the view that the j
1 public is much safer with the hoboes |
1 locked up than it would be if they |
were at large.
St ill,a few of the wayfarers manage j
to enjoy their freedom at night. Mon- !
| day night afforded a case in point j
when a tramp created alarm by ap- j
1 pearing at the back door of the Kmie- ;
I ciuski home, Mill street, at the un
reasonable hour of 11:30 o'clock and
| begging for something to eat.
PASTOR CALLED
i The council of Trinity Lutheran
church, this city, has extended a call
to the Rev. W. M. Geiger, pastor of
' the Lutheran charge, embracing St.
| John's church, this city, and the
: church at Grovauia aud at Ridgeville.
The Rev. Mr. Geiger was elected past
|or of the Trinity Lutheran charge a
I couple of weeks ago. He has decided
S to accept the call and will enter upon
' his pastorate in February.
| 11 SCHOONERS LOST
ST. JOHNS, N. F., Dec. 29.
j Eleven New Fonndland schooners
, and their crews of tiO men are believed
Ito ljave been lost in the Christmas
blizzard while great destruction to
I property throughout this island colony
has resulted,
j The storm, which reached its height |
lon Sunday, raged for six days, but to
day had abated considerably.
The town of Placentia was flooded
j for three days.
| This December has been the storm
iest month the New Fouiulland coast
lias experienced in half a century, and
it is estimated that its cost to tho
fisheries and general trade is more
than $750,000.
Entertained Sunday School Clas*.
Miss Jessie Kimerer very pleasantly
i entertained tho members of her Sun
: day school class at her home, West
' Market street, on Tuesday evening.
Those present were Mary West.Corine
j Grainm, Lillian Treas, Lucy Detweil
er, Helen Savidge, Gnssie Lunger and
I Genevieve Shartzer.
Notice of Raiting Valuation*.
Sunbury, Dec. 29.—Northumberland
County Commissioners yesterday gave
notice that if landlords shall increase
rents, as proposed, after tho first of
next year valuations on houses con
taining tenants will be raised.
THE ROUTE OF
PARADE SELECTED
The route of parade has been select
ed and all arragements are completed
for the Mummers' parade, which will
take place on Saturday. But three
days remain and from what can be
observed in the line of active prepar
ation the demonstration will prove to
be all that was predicted for it in the
first glow of enthusiasm when the
affair was projected months ago.
There has been complete co-operation
and harmony. Self-sacrificing citi
zens, relied upon to pull the affair
together, have freely given their time
and labor and have worked to excel
lent purpose; the citizens of town
have responded generously to the ap
peal for funds, without which success
would be impossible, while others—
the mummers—equally enthusiastic
and self-sacrificing, are contributing
through their labor and talents to the j
sport and real entertainment of the ]
day.
The route of parade decided upon is
as follows:
Forming on North Mill street, the
pageant will march to Mahoning street
—to Chestnut—to Market—to Railroad
street—to Front—to Mill—to Bloom
to Pine—to Center—to Mill street—
thence to the steam mill—to court
house where the parade will disband.
The reception committee will con
sist of four men from eacli fire com
pany of town, who are being selected
by members of the Mummers' associ
ation that are firemen and members
of the respective companies.
The Mummers' parade lias been bill
ed in the following towns: Sunbury, ,
Northumberland, Milton, Lewisburg, |
Watsontown, Pottsgrove, Mooresburg, !
Catawissa, Berwick and Bloomsburg. ;
On last Thursday large bills were !
posted and yesterday small hand bills, '
setting forth the schedule of trains,
&c., were distributed in the above
towns.
DREAM CAME TRUE
WILKES-BARRE, Dec. 2».
A dream of death came substantial
ly true yesterday when Mrs. Belinda
Ellston died suddenly. About two '
weeks ago she had a vivid dream in ,
which her husband, who died many
years ago, appeared before her, and, i
after gazing at her for some time with
a sad look on his face, made the strange
announcement:
"You will live until you are sixty
two years, five months and seventeen •
days old."
Mrs. Ellston remained in goo.l !;i allii
and was in good spirits Monday night
when she retired. Soon after midnight
she was stricken with apoplexy and
died in a few minutes.
Her death came just five days short j
of the dream prophecy.
S2BOO PAID BLACK HAND
Over S2BOO has already been traced, '
by those engaged in the Hazleton '
Black Hand cases as having been paid
over to the secret society by victims
in the vicinity of Hazleton and the !
upper part of Schuylkill county as j
the result of threats that their homes ;
would be dynamited if they did not 1
produce the necessary cash. Every |
Black Hand letter that went out con- j
tained a threat of dynamiting or mur
der unless the recipient deposited a
certain amount of money in a desig
nated place.
Some of those who are alleged to
have put the money where they were
directed to place it don't care to re
veal to the authorities that they were
fleceed.
MAJ. CLARK RELIEVED
At his own request Major W. P. j
Clarke, inspector of tho Third brigade,
N. G. P., has been relieved from duty I
in connection with the coming spring I
inspection of the National Guard. Up- j
on the recommendation of Colonel j
Clement Captain M. H. Taggart, regi- I
j mental adjutant of the Twelfth in- !
[ fantry.has been designated by Colonel I
Frank G. Sweeney to conduct the in- j
spections in the Third brigade. It is
altogether probable that Captain Tag
gart will be Major Taggart by that
time, for the change in brigade com- !
mauders soon to be made, will un
doubtedly mean promotion for him.
PITCHFORK STOPPED STEER
YORK, Dec. 29.
When a runaway steer from a slaugh
ter house in Red Lion, four miles
away, rushed into his barnyard and
charged upon his 8-year-old son, Frank
Hutton, a farmer from near Felton,
fought tho beast to a standstill with a
pitchfork, his only wheapon.
Death of Mrs. Barnhart.
Mrs. Charles Barnhart, Sycamore
street, departed this life about six
o'clock last evening following a pro
tracted illness. Death was duo to a
complication of diseases.
Due notice of the funeral will be
given.
MANY WITNESSES TESTIFY
IN THE ROUP WILL CASE
A special session of court convened
yesterday morning with his honor,
Judge Evans and Associates Blee and
Welliver on the bench.
The habeas corpus proceedings in
volving the case of Michael F. Wymbs,
a patient at the hospital for the in
sane, who alleges that he is illegally
and wrongfully detained at the institu
tion, which was scheduled to come up
at 10 o'clock, were not taken up by tho
court. The applicant had been brought
down from the hospital, and his at
torney, L. A. Watres of Scranton, was
present. The wife of the applicant was
also ou hand as a witness.
The applicant was committed to the
hospital at Danville by Lackawanna
county. The wife of the petitioner, Ag
nes L. Wymbs, is his guardian.
Michael F. Wymbs was first commit
ted to the hospital for the insane at
Norr is town, from which institution his
wife had him transferred to the hos
pital at Danville. From the nature of
the order committing the patient to
Danville Judge Evans took the view
that the petitioner should have ap
plied to the Lackawanna county court
and therefore refused the application.
WILL CONTEST.
The will contest relating to tho es
tate of Lafayette Roup was taken up i
by the court. The son of Lafayette
Roup, it will be recalled, was willed
one dollar and the bulk of the estate
was bequeathed to Gessie P. Savidge, <
sou of the testator's second wife.
The proceedings were in the form
of an appeal from tho probate of the
register and recorder, the issue being
made up to embody testamentary in
capacity and undue influence. Hon.
11. M. Hinckley and W. Kase West
represented the appeal and Hon.
Grant Herring the proponent. A large I
number of witnesses representing both I
sides were present,
WRITING THE WILL.
The first witness called was Justice
of the Peace James Reed of Rush
township, before whom the will was
executed. The witness testified that
on December 7, 15)08, Lafayette Roup
called at his home near Reed's station
and requested him to write his will.
Five hundred dollars,the witness aid,
were set aside for use of the execu
tor in paying funeral expenses, &c.,
and the balance was disposed of as
above stated. In signing the will Jus
tioe of the Peace Reed said the testa
tor "made his mark." He first heard
the will read and said it was precisely !
wi-.at he w:.nted. Roup's wife camci
with him to the justice's office, but
withdrew while the will was being
written and signed. Justice Reed's
daughter was present when the will j
was executed and signed as a witness. j
The justice swore that Lafayette
Rouj) so far as lie could determine
showed 110 signs of mental incapacity,
lie seemed perfectly sane and declared
that there was nothing secret about
the will and was perfectly willing 1
that his wife should remain in the '
room while it was being written and
signed.
Mrs. Jennie N. Beagle, daughter of
Justice Reed, who was called into
witness the signing of the will, was
called to the stand and identified the !
will as the paper executed in her pres- j
ence. So far as slio could observe La- j
fayette Roup was perfectly sane when
he signed the will. Mrs. Roup, wife j
of tho testator, was present when bet t
husband "touched the pen."
WITNESSES FOR APPEAL.
Justice Reed was called to the j
stand as the first witness for the ap- 1
peal. He stated that the wife of La- |
fayette Roup and himself are second
cousins.
Dr. W. R. Paules was the second j
witness, lie prescribed for Lafayette
Roup about three months prior to the 1
j latter's death. Tho physician found -
I the patient's mind much clouded and ;
he was unable to answer questions !
j clearly. The latter invariably referred
! to his wife, requesting her to describe
his condition. Dr. Paules was quite
positive that the testator was not in
ix sane state of mind. Accompanied
by his wife, Lafayette Roup called at
i Dr. Paules' office about a dozen times
j He had "an organically diseased heart
and showed dropsical symptoms."
SON TESTIFIES.
Isaiah Roup, son of Lavfayette
Roup, was called to the stand. The
witness is fifty-four years of age and
lives in Missouri. He lias lived there
thirty-one years. His father, Lafay
ette Roup, was eighty-two years of
age when ho died. Tho witness saw
his father last about six years ago, on
the occasion of the former's visit oast.
This was about December 1, 15)03. It
was during bis visit of six weeks at
Danville ami vicinity that the con
tested will was made. Prior to that
visit the last time the witness saw
his fathor was fifteen or sixteen years
ago, when his mother died. The death
of the latter occurred at tho home of
tho son in Missouri, during a visit.
ESTABLISHED IN 1856
After the death of his wife Lafayette
Roup remained witii his Mis
souri, about a month. Father and son
were on the best of terms on parting.
When the witness paid hs last visit to
Danville, six years ago the same cor
dial relations existed between himself
and father. He saw his father three
times during his visit-twice in Dan
ville and once at the Roup homestead.
On the latter occasion the witness
said his father could not admit him
to the house, as he said his wife had
gone away and the place was locked
up.
A NEIGHBOR'S TESTIMONY.
Charles Diehl, who lives three
fourths of a mile from the Roup home
stead, knew Lafayette Roup for near
ly fifty years and the son Isaiah Roup
from his boyhood. When the son came
in from the west six years ago, wit
ness told Lafayette Roup that Isaiah
with his wife was 111 the neighborhood
and were going to visit him. Mrs.
Roup, wife >of the testator, the wit
ness declared, spoke up and said:
"Don't let them come," expressing a
fear of bodily harm. The witness said
lie tried to shame them out of unrea
sonable fears and asked them what
they had against Isaiah. The father
said he tliairnothing whatever against
his son —that the latter always treated
him very kindly. It was finally ag
reed that the son and his wife might
come to see them. The witness and
his wife accompanied Isaiah Roup and
wife when they visited the Roup home
stead and found the house locked.
The witness described an acciden
sustained l>y Lafayette Roup. Follow
ing tiie injury Lafayette,he said,seem
ed to be a different man in many re
| spects. lie was very changeable and
I easily persuaded. Summing up, the
witness did not think he was in a fit
condition to make a will. He cited in
stances to show that the testator lab
ored under delusions.
THE SECOND MARRIAGE.
Anthony Diehl, a neighbor of Laf
ayette Roup, testified. He knew Laf
ayette Roup as well as the son,lsaiah,
all his life. It was through the wit
ness' kind offices that Lafayette Roup
secured his second wife. His testimony
corroborated preceding witnesses as
to Lafayette Roup's changeable
moods.
Dr. P. C. New baker was called. Ac
counipanie.d by attorney W. K. West
ho went out to see Lafayette Roup up
-1 wards of ten years ago. The man, he
said, seemed to be suffering from de
| lusions. The tendency in the doctor's
I opinion was to ward mental degenera
' tion and it was rather improbable
than otherwise thut any improvement
; would occur.
I Adam Beyer was called. He testified
that Lafayette Roup had told him that
! lie would like to do something for his
son, but that ho guessed it was too
late. He remarked that if lie had it to
|do over again he would have done
I different. Explaining,he said, "I have
married her now and I'guess I'll have
to'give her the biggest part. " He said
he diil not like to talk much about the
matter in the presence of his wife.
The witness did not think that the
i man acted like a person with a well
: balanced mind.
■ Clias. West, a neighbor, corroborat-
I ing what had been said as to Lafayette
i Roup's mental condition. Mr. West's
I testimony was followed by that of his
wife.
! The proceedings yesterday were only
• preliminary, instituted to familiarize
| the court with all the facts in the
I case. It depends upon how Judge
I Evans views the matter whether or not
j he will order a jury trial.
I The hearing of testimony will be re
j sumed this morning.
BATHTUB IN MINE
WILKES-BARRE, Dec. 2i>.
! If the daily bath prolongs human
life, A. ,T. O'Malley, foreman at tiio
; Henry colliery of the Lehigh Valley
Coal company, came to the conclusion
; that it would have the samo effect on
I the lower auiamls; so he installed an
! immense bathtub in the mine work
j ings, where the mine innles could dis
[ port themselves after a hard day's
I work.
The scheme has just been tried and
voted a success.
The mules,which never see the light
of day, take readily to the water, and
i after the bath are as frisky as they
I were on the day they entered the dark
underground workings.
Millionaire Pottmasler Resigns.
Lebanon, Dec. 29.—Edward O. Free
man, the millionaire postmaster at
Cornwall, has resigned and the Post
office department lias ordered the hold
ing of a special examination of ap
plicants for the place on January 23 in
this city. Mr. Freeman has been post
master at Cornwall for a number of
i years, during which time ho has lifted
' the service there to a high standard.
The office is rated in the fourthf class,
and the salary last year was slßl.