Mount Pleasant journal (January 11, 1911)

              gjj£ Mount
VOL. 80.
MOUNT   PLEASANT,    WESTMORELAND   OOUNTY,    PA.,    WEDNESDAY,   JANUARY    It.    1011.
NO. 9
liW WOULD YOU
RELISH BEING
SHERIFF SHIELDS
If His Coal Strike Rakeoff is
Anything Like Alleged?
NO ESTIMATE IS LESS THAN $50,000
WHILE   SOME    PUT   IT    AS    HIGH    AS
*I25,000.
County Controller John D. Hitchman,
of This Place. Having Decided to
Learn the Truth of the Ugly Stories
> fleeting Westmoreland's Chief
Peace Officer Who Can Legally
Take But His Salary of $6,600 and
Legitimate F xponeos, Started an
Investigation at Greensburg Yesterday Under the Old Auditors' Act,
Subpoenaing Operators. Labor Officials and All Interested Parties
County Controller John D. Hitchman, of this place, under the old auditors' act, began an official Investigation at Greensburg yesterday to learn
the truth regarding stories that tell of
the princely rakeoff enjoyed by She?ill
John E. Shields, of New Kensington,
[on the coal strike that started April 1,
1910, in the Irwin, Greensburg and
Latrobe districts and is still on The
lowest estimates put the sum total to
date at not less than 550,000, while
others claim the pretty dot will reach
$125,000. The law fixes the yearly
salary of Westmoreland's chief peace
| officer at $6,500 and legitimate ex-
| penses.
The cost miners of the three districts
'had very little idea of striking until
District President Feehan, of the United
Wine Workers, took a hand. Then many
of them were taken into the anion, as it
were, one night, and they didn't go ba-.k
to work the next day. Then with a
general strike on it seemed that everybody was in the market for deputies.
Of course, the operators wanted aud got
the largest number; but, private detective
agencies had orders in for men to do
guard duty, to say nothing of those hired
by the labor people who were thoroughly
up to dale ou this as well as every other
feature of the long and bitter struggle.
From the time the strike started until
late last fall there were probably several
hundred deputies on duty throughout
the strike zone, all of whom were deputized bv the sheriff who got not less than
a dollar a day for each man so deputized
and iu some cases probably more than
twice that sum, for the Westmoreland
and Penn Gas companies, hiring more
officers than any of the other operators,
had a flat contract under which they
paid the sheriff $5 a day for each deputy,
he to engage and pay the men. These
two companies havn't remitted for the
last bill furnished them by the sheriff,
demanding an itemized account before
paying.
Sheriff Shields looks upon the whole
business as his own private affair, in
which the county has no interest. Controller Hitchman takes a different view,
claiming that if the fees paid the sheriff
are legitimate they belong to the county
and if not so should be returned to the
operators who paid them.
Yesterday's examination, beginning in
the morning and continuing during the
afternoon, was confined to tbe sheriff
who was put through the third degree
by James S. Beacom, Esq., attorney for
Controller Hitchman who acted as iudge,
Robbins and Crowell appearing for the
sheriff.
The sheriff's attorneys seemed determined to answer the questions asked of
their client and there was a war of words
before "Judge" Hitchman could get tho
investigation started at all, and then the
sheriff's memory collapsed. He said he
paid the deputies from $3 to $5 a day,
the latter being the flat rate allowed him
by the Westmoreland and Penn Gas
companies. He wouldn't swear positively that he paid more than two men
the limit, but he seemed positive there
were many officers who got over $3 each.
Keystone vouchers to him amounting
to over $30,000 were submitted in evidence and of that sum between $6,000
and $7,000 was for his personal use.
Vouchers from the Jamison company
added $1,500 to his private account that
was increased to about $10,000 for the
day by vouchers from other smaller
operators.
The hearing is being continued today
with the sheriff still on the stand. The
first thing he will be asked iu explain is
his Westmoreland and Penn Gas vouchers amounting to some $48,000, of which
it is said he appropriated $30,000 to the
private bank account of John E, Shields.
FOUR WEDDINGS
OF THE WEEK
THAT IS PASSED
Whose   Principals Are  Well
Known Youn# People.
THREE SOLEMNIZED AT THIS PLACE
Arcli Hoxaey nnd John 11. Molsnul, two famous nvlntors, both met tholr deadi on tho same day—Molsnnt npitr New Orleans
and Hoxsey nonr Los Angeles—while they were performing some of Ihelr retnnrknblo fen In. In naming n mnn to fill tho plaee
of Eugene Hnle In the United Stales senate the Di-inocrnln, now In power In Mnlno, hnvo selected Charles If. Johnson Postal
savings hanks nre now being tried out by the postolllre depnrtmr-iil ns nn Inltlnl demonslrntlon. One bus been opened In eneh
Btnto In tho Union. With the retirement of Wllllnm 13. Oorey from the presidency of the United Slntes Rleel corporation on Jan. 30 Judge Elbert II. Gary,
the chairman of the board of directors, will hnve full swny In the mnnngement of the glnnt Industry. The senior senator from Went Virginia, Stephen B.
IClkins, died In Washington from nn unknown nuilndy for which he hnd been treated unsuccessfully for some time.
News Snapshots
Of (he Week
COMERS AND GOERS.
Paragraphs About Prominent   People Qath-
eroil During the Weak.
Miss Elizabeth Ci ilbratth, of Ligonier,
was here last week visiling Mrs. Oliver
Seaton.
Jerry B. Myers, wife and daughter,
Miss Vebna, spent Sunday with Latrobe
relatives.
H. E. Gearhart, one of Acme's progressive young farmers, made this office a
pleasant call Friday.
Mrs. C. S. Lnrey and children, of Mt.
Vernon, Ohio, are here visiting that
lady's brother, L. M. Wertz.
Howard Kuhn, of Canton, Ohio, spent
a week here with his uncle and aunt,
Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Myers, Jr.
Miss Iva McVay, of Markleton, spent
test week with ber aunts, Mrs. Flora
Lane aud Miss Annie McVay.
Captain J. Lloyd Kalp was at Philadelphia the past week attending a meeting of the National Guard Association.
Sam Cummings, of Connellsville and
Acme, dropped in Wednesday to see a
few of his old Mouut Pleasant friends.
Miss Ida Magarvcv, a nurse in the
state hospital at Connellsville, was the
guest of old Mount Pleasant Iriends over
Sunday.
James S. Braddock, of this place, and
John M. Staufter, of Scottdale, returned
Monday from a ten days' business trip
to Kansas.
Mrs. Adam Kearn and daughter,Diana,
of Pittsburg, were here from Thursday
until Monday as guests of Rev. and Mrs.
J. L. Updegraph.
Mr. and Mrs. Ephriam Bittner, of
Mt Valley, Kansas, spent the past week
here with the former's parents, Mr. and
Mrs. B. J. Bittner, of the East End.
Justice John W. Hunter was at Smith-
ton Wednesday evening attending the
Fulton County Club's annual banquet,
at which he was also one of the speakers.
Vernon Crosby is at Columbus, Ohio,
taking the West Point examination as
one of the Westmoreland alternates ap-
pofnted by Congressman Huff. The appointment will likely go to Butler
county.
GREEK CHRISTMAS.
Its Celebration Near Derry Leads to Fatal
Shooting.
The celebration of the Greek Christmas near Derry Saturday night led to a
shooting scrape in which Eli Cramer,
aged 23, a miner of the Atlantic Crushed
Coal Company, was shot through the
abdomen, dying soon afterward. It is
not known who fired the fatal shot.
John Granat, aged 25, a miner of the
Millwood Coal and Coke Company, is in
a serious condition in tbe Latrobe hospital, and may die as a result of a stab
in the back, received in a fight with
other miners.
Michaal Wefric, aged 35 and married,
also of Millwood shaft, was shot through
the left hip. He will recover. No
arrests have been made.
New Ship Canal Project.
Hon. Samuel Neel, of this place, the
Westmoreland county member, was at
Pittsburg Saturday attending a meeting
ot the executive committee of the Ohio
River and Lake Erie Ship Canal Association. It is proposed to secure legislation in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West
Virginia that will permit of some 23
counties in the states named being allowed to vote on a proposed issue of
bonds to the amount of some fifty millions oi dollars to finance the big job.
HOSPITAL DONATION DAY RECEPTION
After an Intermission of Three Years, the Hospital Aid Society Will Resume This Pleasant Annual Affair.
DATE FIXliD IS SATURDAY, JANUARY TWENTY-FIRST
After an intermission of three years, the Hospital Aid Society has decided to
resume the holding of its Annual Donation Day Reception at the Mount Pleasant
Memorial Hospital on Saturday, January 21st, frOm 2 to 5 in (he afternoon and
from 7 to 9 at night.
At the head of this society, which is composed of many of Mount Pleasant's
best women of all ^P^lsamtm^^. denominations,
President, jftxvw vfllBtaMt MissMartha Wai
den;   vice   prcsi- JWs\\\\y^5SSDa*tJs\ PsJte. dent,    Mrs.   Wil-
n     Marsh; lUiJt&m^iO .JjmroiWrlWMrlBB^.
l.nv   Mrs. Daniel ^y!viWMsMmwWst't**&iss\\ssWl3ti5*i       nm\        "     Stoner;
responding sec-
Stevcnson; treas-
Stoncr, whose
ed to the htiu-
lions that are
by any chance,
not get one, do
but attend thcre-
levnoon and cve-
to, and Tiik Jouk-
retary, Mrs. S. C.
urer, Mrs. Geo.W.
names are attach-
dreds of invita-
being issued. If
however, you do
not feel slighted,
ception, both af-
ning, if you care
nai's word for it
you'll be welcomed just as heartily as though a dozen of personal   friends In fI><■-
society had each giyeu you a bid to be there.
Tbe purpose of observing this anniversary is to show friends the progress the
society has made and to receive any donations guests may contribute to the hospital in the way of bed linens, provisions or coin of the realm. And it is but
simple justice to the society to add that those who have not visited the hospital
recently will be pleasantly surprised to note the growth of this splendid local institution.
BROUGHT THE ANSWER.
Why Messrs. Neel, Boyd and Ulerich Voted
for Kennedy for Senator.
Quite a political breeze was raised
oves the state by Messrs. Neel, Ulerich
and Boyd, the three Republican members of the Legislature from this county,
voting for Julian Kennedy, a prominent
Pittsburger, as the nominee for United
States Senator in the G. O. P. House
caucus.
Mr. Neel, who is at home now as the
Legislature will not reconvene until
next Tuesday, explained the situation to
a Journal scribe by saying that before
the senatorial nomination was taken up,
the representatives from this congres
sional district were asked to name one
of their number for the House "Slate
Committee. They did so and agreed on
Mr. Boyd whose name Mr. Ulerich
handed in. To say that the Star of the
West bunch felt taken back but mildly
expresses their state of mind when the
chairman of the caucus read out tbe
name of Mr. Wasson, of Butler, for the
place. They bided their time, however,
all three voting for Kennedy to succeed
Mr. Oliver who up to that time had no
opposition. The chairman's mistake (?)
was speedily corrected by Speaker Cox
and Mr. Boyd's name put on the committee, and Messrs. Neel, Boyd and
Ulerich will go along on the election of
Mr. Oliver Tuesday next. But they
will all vote for Local Option.
Maintains High Standard.
The Ladies Aid Society of the Middle
Lutheran church held its annua) meeting
on Saturday last at the home of Mrs. C.
H. Fahrr. The net earnings for the year
were one hundred and seventy-five dollars and forty-four cents ($175.44.) The
following officers were elected for the
coming year: Miss Mary Durstine, president; Mrs. A. M. Rumbaugh, vice president; Mrs. Mary Campbell, secretary;
Miss Alice Stouffer, treasurer.
Bible Students Entertained.
Dr. and Mrs. M. S. Kuhn gave a   nice
entertainment last evening tor the Agoga
Bible Class of the First Baptist church.
DEATHS OF THE WEEK.
The Grim Reaper's Work in This Place and
Vicinity.
Charles Brierchock.
Charles Briercheck, late a Scottdale
barkeeper, died of heart failure Wednes
day at bis North Church street home,
aged almost 28 years. The interment
took place Friday from the Slavish
Catholic church, of which he was a
member. He leaves a widow and two
children.
Mrs. Annie Bitter.
The interment of the remains of Mrs.
Annie Ritter, widow ol Josiah Ritter,
took place Thursday at the Fairview
cemetery. Mrs. Ritter, who had made
her home with her son John, near Kecksburg, was almost 87 years of age. Her
other son, Jacob, is a resident of Ohio.
Mrs. Mary A. Beainer.
Mrs. Mary A. Beamer, only surviving
sister  of   Henry  B.   Pershing,    of   this
plrce, died on January 3rd at   her   Port
Byron, Illinois, home, aged 82 years.
John Long.
John Long, formerly a tollgate keeper
here, died Friday at his Stauffer home.
He was 79 years of age and a   widower.
Bob Herbert Back in Harness.
Robert W. Herbert, a newspaper man
well known in Western Pennsylvania,
has assumed control of the Daily Tribune
and the Greensburg Press. He recently
bought the controlling interest in the
stock. Mr. Herbert for years was political editor of the Pittsburg Times and is
assistant special agent of tbe State Board
of Charities. Bob was a good little boy,
too, winning nearly all the rewards of
merit offered by the Delmont Presbyterian church.
Boys in Trouble.
Herbert Crusan, son of N. M. Crnsan,
the barber in the basement of the Ruder
Inn, and Harrison Yates, a colored boy
who shined shoes in the same place,
were arrested Saturday for having robbed
the wine cellar of Mine Host Ruder.
The defendants confessed and were sent
to jail at Greensburg by Justice John W.
Hunter.
COKE AND COAL.
Items of Interest Oatherod from Both Mi no
and Yard.
The coke tfld* has a much better outlook this week as the majority of the
Frick plants like Morewood iu this district, hanked for two weeks, are making
six days.
Bert Francis, a neighbor, has bought
the Hiram Null farm near Rnffsdale, 198
acres underlaid with the Freeport vein
of coal. The consideration is given at
$14,000.
There will be an investigation by the
Legislature of the actual cause of the
dispute and the conditions existing between the mine operators and the striking coal miners of Westmoreland county
in the Irwin, Greensburg and Latrobe
districts. The members of the investigating committee will be appointed
when the two houses reconvene at Harrisburg January 16th. A report must be
had on or before April  '. .1 next.
The Associated Syndicates of Pittsburg
has finally secured a 90-acre farm that
will ;|ivc them access to 10,000 acres of
Washington county coal that will be developed by a branch from the Panhandle
railroad at Hamlin station. The value
of the field undeveloped is $2,000,0000.
The Union Coal Realty Company will
operate the territory on a lease.
V. J. Callaghau has resigned fhesnper-
inlendency ot the Rainey Mt. Braddock
coke works. Michael McPartland, late
in charge of that company's Royal plant,
is his successor.
Friends of W. H. Cliugerman, General
Supetiritondent of the H. C. Frick Coke
Company, will be pleased to learn that
he will soon be his sound self following
an operation for hernia performed by
Scottdale physicians at the hospital here
Tuesday of last week.
While positive action was not taken
at the meeting of coal and coke operators of the Connellsville and Pittsburg
districts, held at the Chamber of Commerce, Pittsburg, Saturday last, to consider the discriminations against them
in railroad freight rates, in all likelihood
the outcome of the matter will be an
appeal to the Interstate Commerce Commission.
BETTER POLICE PROTECTION
Demanded of Council by Buainois People of
Greensburg.
The business people of Greensburg
have united in a petition to Council
praying for better police protection and,
if necessary, a squad of state police.
It is asserted that during the last few
months lawlessness has been running
rampant in Greensburg and that on account of threats made by the striking
coal miners against those who are working a large proportion of the pays has
been diverted to other towns.
The net cash pay of the Jamison Coal
aud Coke Company last Saturday was
$47,471.66. This was for two weeks, and
for December the Keystone Coal and
Coke Company disbursed $157,037.57.
Formerly this money was circulated
about Greensburg- Now it goes to other
towns.
Council held a special meeting Monday evening, but decided to let matters
drift.    Strike   sympathizers were in the
majority.
 ••-..•.	
Pretty Wedding Anniversary.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Pross were the
willing victims of a surprise party at
their College avenue home Monday evening in honor of their tenth wedding
anniversary. The pretty affair was most
cleverly managed by Mrs. Myer Posner
and Mrs. William Raknsin. Covers wee
laid lor forty people.
AND THK  FOURTH   IB A   HOME  AFFAIR
AT   C0NNEM.BVILLE.
Dr. Thomas Nolan, a Physic inn nt
BeynoldKville, Pa., nnd Miss Mnyn
Bowen, One of Hocla's Fair Daughters, nre United for Life in Ht.
Joseph's Ohurch. 8. Hays Ringler,
of Homestead, Pa., and Mi's Gapi-
tola Mason. Formerly Onnnf Mount
Pleasant's Charming Daughters,
Embark on tho Matrimonial Sea at
the Xough Metropolis, While T. A.
Oonrad and Miss Freeman nre
Quiotly Wedded at tho Prosbyterian
Parsonage.
Nolan-Bowen.
With Ihe acoompanying high mass,
the marriage of Dr. Thomas Nolan, an
eye, ear and throat specialist, of Reyn-
oldsville. Pa., and Miss Maye Bowen,
Ihe pretty elder daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Richard Bowen, of Hecla, was an
impressively beautiful aflair at St.
Joseph's church Tuesday morning at
9:30 when the officiating clergyman and
rector, Rev. Father M. G. O'Donnell, was
assisted by Revs, Fathers Gillen, of
Greensburg, and Koglosky, of this place.
The bride wore white broadcloth and,
with her white furs, plumes and shoes
made a picture in full keeping with the
perfect day. Her attendant was Misa
Seal Hagar, of Braddock, who also wore
white. The groom's best man was Dr.
Nolan, of the University of Pittsburg.
The bridal party came by special West
Penn trolley, using cabs from the East
End street car station to and from the
church, and returned in the same manner
to Hecla where they partook of an elaborate breakfast served at the Htcla Hotel
hy Kuhn, the well known Pittsburg
caterer.
The handsome couple left later in the
day for Philadelphia where the groom
was graduated in medicine and where
the bride's brother is dow a medical
student. After a visit there they will
go to Reynolds vi He to reside.
Ringler-Mason.
A prettily appointed wedding was
celebrated last Tuesday evening at 7
o'clock in the home of Mrs. Mary Mason
on First street, Connellsville, when her
daughter, Miss Capitola Marie, was married to S. Hays Ringler, of Homestead.
The ring service was read by Rev. Wolf,
pastor of the Methodist Episcopal
church, in the presence of members ol
both families. The bride, who was given
away by her brother, Ory, was formerly
a teacher in the public schools of this
place. After a wedding trip Mr. and
Mrs. Ringler will live at Homestead.
Valiante-Benedicts.
Michael Valiante and Miss Jennie
D'Benedicte, both of this place, were
married at 10 a. m. Monday at the local
Italian church, the rector, Rev. Father
Albanese, officiating. Following the
ceremony the bridal party repaired to
the Lombardi Hotel where the proprietor
and his wife, who are the uncle and
aunt of the principals, had prepared a
wedding feast, at which as guests sat
Burgess Cotlins and other leading officials of the town in addition to many
members of the local Italian colony. An
orchestra furnished music for the joyous
occasion.
Conrad-Huffman.
W. A. Conrad, the well known local
electrician, and Miss Bess Freeman,
of Smithfield street, were married last
evening at the Presbyterian parsonage
by Rev. K. J. Stewart.
FOUR LIVES WIPED OUT.
Victims Were Eun Down in the Pinkertoa
Tunnel Friday.
The Duquesne Express on the Baltimore & Ohio railroad ran down and instantly killed four Western Maryland
workmen in the Pinkerton tunnel early-
Friday morning. The victims were Ben.
C. Querney, a Norwegian foreman; Louis
Legion, colored, and two other unknown
negroes.
The men became confused. They were
proceeding on the eastbound track when
a freight train came along. They stepped
off the eastbound track over to the westbound track directly in the path of the
Duquesne.
Scenes of carnage followed. Tbe four
men, carrying their dinner buckets, were
hurled in every direction. The sides
and roof of the tunnel were splattered
with blood. When aid reached the men
all were found to be dead.