Mount Pleasant journal (November 15, 1911)

              ۤt Mount phnmn
tOL. 35.
MOUNT   PLEASANT,    WESTMORELAND    COUNTY,    PA.,    WEDNESDAY,    NOVEMBER    IS,    1911.
NO 46
iHERIFF SHIELDS
IS SENTENCED
TO PENITENTIARY
*here to Serve 28 Months in
Solitary Confinement.
|E IS ALSO RELIEVED OF HIS OFFICE
miLE   HELD IN CUSTODY BY HI8 SUCCESSOR, COKONEK MoMURRAY.
i.fter Judge McConnell in Court at
Greensburg Saturday had Refused
the Defendant New Trials in Both
Cases, his Attorneys Fought Hard
to Have Sentence Suspended, but
all in Vain. Their Only Hope Now
is to Have the Superior Court Grant
a Supersedeas.
Sheriff John E. Shields, who was
xind guilty of permitting jail prison-
rs to escape, misdemeanor, purjury
Ind  malfeasance in office at the Au-
lust term of criminal court in this
lounty, was on Saturday forenoon
ast called by Judge A. D. McConnell
/ho refused new trials in both cases
|nd then sentenced him to serve a
Dtal of 28 months in solitary contine-
lent at the Western Penitentiary.  At
Ihe same time he relieved him of his
Iffice in which the law makes Coro-
|er McMurray his successor and gives
Ihe little doctor charge of the big de-
lendant who will be released today on
15,000 bail on the supersedeas granted
\y the Superior Court yesterday.
In case wherein Shields was convicted
If   permitting   prisoners  to escape and
aalfeasance   in  office, the  sentence imposed was a fine ot $1 and costs, imprisonment for 1 year and 1 calendar month,
Jnd   that he  be  dismissed   from   office.
j"he sentence of 1 year and 3 months to
Ihe   penitentiary  along  with  a  fine of
\44 60 was imposed in the conviction on
lisdemeanor, perjury and embezzlement.
In refusing a new trial in the prisoners
Lscape case Judge McConnell said that it
vas the   sheriffs   duty to  receive   and
lafely keep all prisoners properly com-
litted to jail, not being permitted to reverse the decision of  a  magistrate.    In
Ihe other case wherein it was found the
Lherifl   had   taken  and kept money for
serving writs of other counties, the court
Explained that the sherift was a salaried
official and was not permitted to accept
puch fees.
It was at this point that District Attorney Nevin A. Cort, of this place, who
ponducted the prosecution of these cases,
aoved lor sentence. Col. E. E. Robbins,
vho, with C. C. Crowell, represented
Shields, at once objected, asking that
pentence be deferred in order to permit
Df an application to the Superior Court
for a supersedeas.
•'This is the last day of the term and
notion tor sentence is made by the assistant district attorney." Judge McDonnell reminded Mr. Robbins who
{then suggested that the sentencing of
Shields might be carried over until another Saturday. Mr. Cort, however, declared that notice had been given that if
Shields was refused a new trial, he would
be called for sentence.
Attorney Robbins asked permission of
the court to present a petition setting
forth the claim that Shields had not intentionally done wrong; that his nomination and election as Commissioner were
vindication; that the public good did
ict demand his punishment and that
sentence for perjury would prevent him
Ifrom being a witness in civil cases in
|which he is deeply interested.
In objecting to the petition Attorney
ZoTt held that the nomination and election of Shields as Commissioner were
brought about through misleading circulars and other statements made by the
Defendant, many voters supporting him
Isimply because they did not know the
Ifacts in the case.
Attorney Crowell also drew the court's
lattention to another petition signed by
Iten of the twelve jurors who found
IShields guilty of letting prisoners go and
Iwho now asked a new trial for him. But
Iboth petitions were turned down by
■Judge McConnell who took occasion to
Isay that the court was in a position to
■determine the merits of these cases and
[would follow the conclusion of the law
Iwithout the opinion of thousands of peo-
Iple who know nothing of the real facts
lof the matter. And as for the results of
Ithe late election, it was for the court to
linform the voters of the legal merits of
Ithe cases, not the voters the court.
When called and asked if he had any-
Ithing to say why sentence should not be
(passed upon him. Sheriff Shields made a
■ statement in which he said that he vas
Ian innocent   man  and that both he and
fllAtiAN~iWX)P^
.Uttu.tm.Trn"nTrn,-.v^a:.ri.1 ' saS
vfrMOYAl^g
News Snapshots
Of the Week
The general elections throughout the United States aroused considerable Interest. The feature of the balloting was the
remarkable growth of the socialistic movement. Three governors who were re-elected were Aram Pothler of Rhode Island,
Eugene N. Foss of Massachusetts aud James B. McOeary of Kentucky. Mrs Louise Vermilya of Chicago was arrested nnd
charged with having caused the death of a former admirer by poison. The deaths of eight other persons with whom she was
BDHUClatcd are also under investigation. Th-: Italian government became greatly alarmed over the situation in Tripoli, fearing that General Caneva was unable lo cope with the situation. Uoports ot his cruel treatment ot prisoners were denied. VVu Ting Fang, the former ambassador to the United States from
China, was appointed minister of foreign AfTnlna In the new rebel cabinet.
his family had been and were being persecuted, his wife being on the verge of
nervous prostration. He asked but was
refused permission to present a paper
which he claimed would show the character of his alleged persecutors. He
claimed that the power of the District
Attorney's office had been used unfairly
against him when it forced the Grand
Jury to return a true bill against him
after it had been ignored four or five
times. He also said that there were other
salaried officers in the court house who
didn't turn over all their fees to the
county.
When the court had passed sentence
Shields was turned over for safe keeping
to his successor, Dr. McMurray, while
his attorneys got busy in an effort to
have the Superior Court, sitting in Philadelphia this week, grant a supersedeas
that would at least give Shields his liberty on bail pending the appeal to the
higher court even if it did not restore
his office to him.
COMERS AND GOERS.
Paragraphs About Prominent   People Gathered During the Week.
Miss Velma Myers spent Sunday with
Latrobe relatives.
The Misses Rupert visited Pittsburg
friends the past week.
William F. Smith and Robert H. Goodman left Saturday with a party of Pittsburg friends for a week's hunt in Jefferson county.
Miss Mazie Eaton, of Trauger, was here
the past week visiting her grandparents,
Mr, and Mrs. Robert Russell, "of South
Eagle stteet.
Miss Catherine O'Donnell, of Pittsburg, spent Sunday here with her brother
and sister, Rev. Father M. G. and Miss
MaryO'Donnell.
County Controller John D. Hitchman,
wife and son, Master William, returned
here Thursday from their Pike Run
Country Club cottage.
SHERIFF SHIELDS
WILL LIKELY BE BACK IN HIS
OFFICE TOUAY.
Samson Luke, of Donegal, passed
through here Friday lor Toledo, Ohio,
where he will make his home with his
brother, William, who has a fruit farm
near that city.
Henry and John Hanse, respectively,
president and secretary of that order,
represented the local Knights of St.
George at the funeral of Rev. Father May
held in Braddock Monday.
Misses Maria Bevil and Nell Smith,
who were here as the guests of the former's sister, Mrs. Edward King, left Sun
day to visit   Baggaley friends before returning to their East McKeesport home.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Graul were at
Pittsburg Sunday attending the funeral
of their brother-in-law, Carl Cappel, a
prominent South Side husiness man.who
died Friday following an operation for
appendicitis.
Mrs. Clyde Lowe, with her sister, Miss
Myrtle Washabaugh, of Ruftsdale, and
her sister-in-law, Mrs. George W. Patterson, of this place, entertained the Thimble Club at her East Main street home
Thursday afternoon.
George W. Stoner, cashier of the First
National Bank, returned Sunday from a
very enjoyable visit with relatives and
old friends as far west as Iowa. His
daughter, Miss Anna, stopped oft for a
few days at Wheaton, Illinois, to see
Miss Imogene Critchfield.
Captains John D. Hitchman and J.
Lloyd Kalp and Second Lieutenant
Homer R. Rumbaugh represented Mount
Pleasant at the Greensburg Country Club
gathering of Tenth regiment line and
staft officers Friday evening. Major
Charles S. Farnsworth, U. S. A, gave an
interesting lecture on the new drill regulations followed by a banquet given by
Colonel Richard Coulter.
Mr. and Mrs. James S. Braddock were
at Braddock last evening to hear their
7-year-old nephew, Thomas Braddock
James, present to the town the famous
painting of the Battle of the Monongahela which was secured largely through
subscriptions solicited by the public
school children of Braddock. The
picture will be hung in the Carnegie Library there. Mr. Braddock is a descendant
from General Braddock's family.
OFFICIAL RETURNS
ROEHRIG EBERHART WEDDING.
A Double Reception Follows at the Bride's
Home.
St. Joseph's Catholic church was well
filled with relatives and friends Wednesday morning last when the rector,
Rev. Father M. G. O'Donnell, made John
F. Roehrig and Miss Marie Anna Eberhart man and wife. The bride wore a
handsome cashmere gown trimmed in
white silk lace and carried a bouquet of
bride's roses. Her sister and bridesmaid,
Miss Elizabeth, wore blue massaline and
carried white carnations. Frank Campbell, of Hecla, was the best man.
The bridal party used Richard Gerec-
ter's auto and, following a visit to the
Goodman and Kough photograph gallery, repaired to the home of the bride's
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Felix Eberhart,
where an elaborote dinner was served
and where the reception was continued
from Wednesday until Thursday evening, one night not giving sufficient time
for the threescore guests to do justice
to the occasion. The only damage was
that done to Mrs. Eberhart's big dishpan
which Abe L. Myers used as leader of
the big party of girl serenaders. Bob
Goodman's drum corps also furnished a
lot of inspiring music. Young Mr and
Mrs. Roehrig have gone to housekeeping
in the Weimer flats on East Main street.
W. C. T. U. Due Social.
Some fifty ladies attended the due social held last Tuesday evening at the
West End home of Mrs. J. L. Updegraph
whose report covered the state convention. In addition to a nice lunch the
pleasant evening's program embraced
piano duets by Misses Margaret K. Fox
and Delia Leeper and Misses Blanche
and Janet Updegraph and recitations by
Miss Etta King, the talented sister of
Prof. Byron King. Mrs. Harriet Brothers
conducted the devotional exercises.
Make No Change in the Published List of
Elected County Officers.
The return judges met at Greensburg
Thursday and counted the vote polled
in this county at the late election although the official figures made no
change in the list of winning candidates
published in these columns last week.
The Republicans took all but two plums,
Orphans Court Judge, for which C. D.
Copeland defeated Hon. John B. Steel,
the present Republican incumbent, by
1,235 votes, and Treasurer, "Jim" Cramer,
Democrat, defeating Hon. Berkey H.
Boyd, Republican, by 453 votes.
The defeat of Hamel, Democratic candidate for Commissioner, was a surprise
as he was looked upon as much stronger
than Brechbill, his successtul fellow
runner on the unterrified ticket. This
result was brought about by Republicans
voting for Brechbill in a vain effort to
defeat Shields.
The Prohibition vote was only 1,134,
but the Socialists opened a lot of eyes by
rolling up 4,695 tallies for John Ruffner
for Sherift.
Over in Fayette county the Republicans took everything in sight, the Democrats getting only what the law allows
a minority party.
The big fight for judge in Somerset
county resulted in the defeat of Berkey,
the Republican nominee, Reppel, whose
name was on the Democrat, Keystone
and Prohibition tickets, winning out by
some 1,200 majority. The balance of the
Republican ticket was elected.
DIVORCED AND MARRIED.
Wedding of Much Local Interest at Sadalia,
Missouri.
The marriage of Miss Nellie Owens,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Owens, of
Sedalia, Mo., and Randall Pugh, formerly
of Scottdale, was solemnized at the home
of the bride's parents, 208 North Washington avenue Sunday evening, October
22, at 6:30 o'clock. Rev. J. D. Prigmore,
pastor of the Presbyterian church, officiated, after which a wedding supper
was served to the many friends present.
Mr. Pugh has made Sedalia his home for
the past two years and is employed by
Collins Bros., painters and decorators.
The couple will make that place their
home.
A divorce was granted the groom on
October 4, 1911, from Bertha-Faust Pugb,
of Mount Pieasent, Pa , by Judge Shain,
of the Circuit Court of Pettis county at
Sedalia through his attorney, C. C Kelly.
The first Mrs. Pugh and Clarence Huffman, of this place, were married last
week and have gone to housekeeping in
the East End.
St. Joseph Literary Society.
The St. Joseph Literary Soeiety gave a
well attended literary entertainment and
euchre in the St. Joseph Auditorium last
Tuesday evening when the card honors
were won by Miss Jennie Arkwrightand
James Fatzpatrick. There were recitations by Misses Mary Mullen and Mary
Madden; reading, Danny Kelly; oration,
Miss Arkwright; vocal solos, John Bon-
ning and Martin Madden; piano solo,
WilliamMullen; mandolin solo, Rudolph
Steiner.
Wedding Invitations Out.
Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Kirk, of East
Washington street, have invitations out
for the marriage of their daughter, Miss
Nellie Anastasia, to Thomas Polanofsky,
a member of the Standard clerical force
ot the H. C. Frick Coke Company. The
ceremony will be performed by the rector, Rev. Father M. G. O'Donnell, in St.
Joseph's Catholic church at 9:30 a. ra. on
Tuesday next, November 21.
IETING OF
TWO OLD CIVIL
WAR COMRADES
For the First Time Since the
Battle of Gettysburg.
CAPT. U. B. HUBBS AND DAN'L MUMAW
RESPECTIVELY,    COMMANDER   OF   AND
PRIVATE IN CO. B, 42nd P. V.
COKE AND COAL.
Items of Interest Gathered from Both Mine
and Yard.
Like the weather, the coke trade took
a sudden change this week, and for the
worse, too. Last week ovens by the
hundred were fired up and six days
made by the Frick company, giving good
ground for belief that the business was
on the up grade and to stick there for
the winter. Then three furnaces went
out of commission and production had
to be curtailed. Twenty-one Frick plants
including Morewood were ordered to lay
oft today and Saturday, while five others,
among them Standard, will make five
days.
A wonderful history of the growth of
coal production in the United States in
the past 97 years is shown by the coal
chart just issued by the Geological Survey. In 1814 a total of 22 tons of anthracite coal, the first of any kind mined,
was produced in Pennsylvania. The output increased year by year at a wonderful rate until in 1910 it reached tbe
enormous figure of 501,596,378 short
tons, larger by far than any other country in the world. The total production
since 1814 has been approximately 8,-
243,351,259 tons.
What promises to be an interesting
hearing will be held in the Dauphin
county court at Harrisburg tomorrow. It
is that between the State and the Westmoreland Coal Company over the valuation of the latter's property. James W.
Shields, ol this place, will appear for the
plaintiff as an expert witness.
The haulage connecting the Frick company's abandoned Alverton plant with
the Tarr mine will, it is thought, be completed by the first of the year and the
coal thus secured will add fifteen years
to the life of the latter works.
DEATHS OF THE WEEK.
The Orim Reaper's Work in This Place and
Vicinity.
Jacob Strchm.
Jacob Strohm, a highly esteemed resident of East Huntingdon township, died
at his home near Alverton early last
Wednesday morning, aged almost 83
years. The body was taken Friday morning to the Alverton Church of God, of
which the deceased was long a consistent
member, and, following divine services
conducted by the pastor, Rev. W. H.
Guyer, was laid to rest in the Alverton
cemetery.
Mr, Strohm leaves a widow and four
children—Harrison and Mrs. Muir at
home; Christopher, of near Alverton, and
Mrs. Joseph Zimmerman, of this place.
He is also survived by a brother, Samuel,
of this place, and two sisters, Mrs. Christian Ruff, of Central, and Mrs. Fox, of
Greensburg.
Mrs. Eli Seighman.
Eliza Jane, wife of Eli Seighman, aged
58 years, died at her Bridgeport home
Wednesday. The funeral services were
held Friday in the Baptist church at
Pennsville   where   the   interment   took
place.
 ^ m ♦	
August Wedding Leaks Out.
Joseph Hartigan, one of Morewood's
veteran engineers, and Miss Elizabeth
Killen, prominent in St. Joseph church
circles, have had to finally admit to
well-wishing friends that they were
married by Rev. Father Devaul in Scottdale in Angust last.
On the First Day of That Bloody
Fight Daniel was Shot in the Knee
and Had to be Left on the Field
When the Rebels Drove Back for a
Time the Boys in Blue, but While
he was a Prisoner he was not Taken
Along When the High Tide of the
Rebellion Rolled Back to the South.
Captain U. B. Hubbs was routed out of
bed at his College avenue home the other
night by an old man with long white
whiskers whom Urbanus didn't know
from a side of sole leather until the late
caller said he was Daniel Mumaw, a
Mount Pleasant boy who had served in
Company B, 42nd Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers, and was now a retired
farmer at Arkansas City, Kansas, back
here hunting up his old Civil war comrades.
Then it was "Hello! Dan. Why I
thought you had gone to glory long ago."
"Not a bit of it, Cap. I'm still on this
side and feeling bully." The captain
forgot all about his robe de nuit as he
and Mr. Mumaw got to fighting their
battles over so real that Mrs. Hubbs
smelled the smoke tbe next morning
when she came down to look after breakfast.
Among General Meade's Sunburnt Boys
of the Potomac whom it is said Lee was
surprised to find at Gettysburg was Company B, 42nd Regiment, Pennsylvania
Volunteers, organized here and on that
memorable day in command of Captain
Hubbs. The Johnnies forced the Yankees
back and it was then that Private Mumaw fell with a bullet in his knee. The
captain saw him fall, but was powerless
to aid him as he and his men who survived had ail they could do to keep
from being captured.
Mr. Mumaw was made a prisoner by
the Rebels who did everything they
could in the heat of battle for him. They
wanted to trade their money for greenbacks, saying that they could use his
very nicely in this state while he would
find theirs very handy when he landed
in a southern prison. But he was left
behind when the invading host was
driven back at the end of the third day's
fight, and recovered on being taken to a
Union hospital.
Marriage Licenses.
The following marriage licenses have
been granted for this vicinity during the
past week.
Andy Marceyko and Pauline Fedders,
both of Mount Pleasant.
GOOD SHOWING
Made  by   the   Lutheran    New    Movement
Bible  Class.
The second annual report of the Lutheran New Movement Bible Class shows
a membership of 110, an increase of 21
during the past year; receipts, $157.49;
religious papers and magazines and
scripture cards given to the Pittsburg
Province Mission for foreign distribution, 620; bouquets and plants given sick
at hospital and elsewhere, 163; visits-
made by standing committees, 136; special and class meetings, 15.
The officers elected for the year beginning November 1 are: President, M. I.
Barnhart; vice president, Robert Berg;
secretary, Mabel Hamel; assistant secretary, Anna Keegler; treasurer, John
Sauers; regular teacher, Rev. R. L. Leatherman with M. I. Barnhart, J. W. Barkley, R. W. West, Mrs. Smith Brinker and.
Mabel Hamel assistants; chairmen of
committees, membership, Mrs. Smith
Brinker; reception, R. W. West; devotional, the pastor; entertainment, Lizzie
Hamel; flower and visitation, Mrs. J. W.
Hunter.
 »"•-* .
COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION
Open for   Boys of This District to Enter V.
S. Naval Academy.
Congressman Curtis H. Gregg, writing
The Journal from Greensbnrg yesterday,
says:
"I propose to hold on Saturday, December 23, 1911, a competitive examination to qualify four candidates to take,
the regular Annapolis examination for-
entrance to the United States Naval
Academy, which will take place the 3rd
Tuesday in April. There will be a principal and three alternates appointed to
take such examination at the mentioned
time. The examination, which is in
character preliminary, will be held in
Greensburg, Pa., in the chapel of the
High School building. To those desirous of taking this examination, I will,
upon application, send circulars giving
the nature and scope of same.
v'