Mount Pleasant journal (March 28, 1919)

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VOL. 44.
MOUNT   PLEASANT.   WESTMORELAND    COUNTY.    PA..    FRIDAY.    MARCH    28,    1919.
NO.14.
SPRING FLOWERS
OF FAR OFF FRANCE
NOW IN BLOOM
Over the Grave of Elmer Coff-
man, an Acme Private.
ME MET DEATH ON THE FRONT LINE
BEINO INSTANTLY  KILLED BY AN EX-
FLODINO SHELL.
A Thoughtful and Sympathetic Major of the Regiment Writes the
Brave Mountain Boy's Mof her How
he Helped to Lay her First Born on
the Beautiful Cote de Maldah to
Sleep Neath a Hedge of Wild Apple
Trees Until Comes the Great Captain's Call and Earth and Sea Shall
Give up their Dead.
PRESIDENT WILSON'S VISIT TO ROME
The slight hope entertained by Mr.
and Mrs. lrvin Coffman, of Acme,
that their oldest son, Elmer, a private
in Company C, Sixteenth Infantry,
might still be alive, despite the official
notice of his missing in action October 8, has been dashed to the ground
by a letter just received from Major
Leonard R. Boyd, of that regiment,
who, under date of January 11 in
Germany, writes the mother:
"I am writing this, Mrs. Coftmau, to
let you know a few facts about tbe death
of Elmer Coffman. Yon have probably
been notified before of his death. I
know but little ot his end; but, if no one
else bas given vou this information, I
feel sure it will help.
"On October 10, during the Argonne
battle, I was with my troops in Cote de
Maldah, near Sommerance, France, when
a report came to me that an American
soldier had been found dead nearby. I
went to tbe place and found the body of
Elmer Coffman there. A fragment from
an exploding shell had killed him instantly that day. He did not belong to
my company and I could find no further
details of his death. I took his personal
effects and enclose them witb this letter.
"As we were ordered to remain at the
cote (bill) for a day we had an opportunity to bury him. There is a small
road running along the south side of tbe
bill. Near the top ot this hill is a hedge
of wild apple trees. His grave was dug
near the center and on the south side of
the hedge. Over the grave was erected
a rough cross and on it nailed one of tbe
identification tags. One was left on the
body, while the third is enclosed in this
letter.
"I bave been carrying his papers ever
since. I am sure you can guess what an
effort has to be made to write letters
similar to this to thirty or forty mothers
and that, with routine work, has prevented my writing sooner. There are
many graves in France and we, wbo
have been through all, realize what a
sacrifice our fellow men have made and
that each grave is a memorial to the
bravery and manliness of the private
soldier.
"When spring comes I know that no
otber place in France will be as beautiful as the Cote de Maldah with its white
apple orchards and its hedge of wild apple trees blooming and fragrant, overlooking the last resting place of Elmer
Coffman—a brave American soldier. No
higher praise can be given.
"I beg of you to accept my sympathy
—the sympathy that a soldier can rightly
offer to the families of those who have
fought with him—and died."
A father  and a mother weep
Over the death of their firstborn
Who fell in far oil France,
By German shell was torn.
God only knows bow hard,
How cruel and how sad;
An ocean rolls between them
And their sleeping soldier lad.
But there's a God of Battles
Who ne'er forgets the dead
Who gave their lives for liberty;
He'll guard tbeir narrow bed.
This young draftee, who was 22 years
of age, trained at Camp Lee and went
overseas with Company C, Sixteenth Infantry, July 26, and took part in the
fierce fighting on arriving at the French
front until he met his fate on October 8.
His last letter to his mother was written
September 16. His money, wrist watch
and other valuables were stolen as all
the major found on the body were letters from his mother and Acme friends
and the identification tags. But all was
well with this fallen lad who had given
his life for world freedom; for, as a
faithful member of the United Evangelical church, he had made his peace with
tbe loving Savior before there was
thought of war.
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This photograph, taken during President Wilson's recent visit to Italy, shows him and Mrs. Wilson leaving tha
Coliseum. Home.
COMERS AND GOERS.
Paragraphs About Prominent   People Gathered During- the Week.
Mrs. Harry I. Jordan, of Latrobe, called on friends here Monday.
Mrs. T. S. Shaw spent the week end
with friends at Clairtoo, Pa.
H. D. Poorbaughaud family will move
Tuesday to a farm near Greensburg.
Miss Sarah Smith, a Wilson College
student, is home on an Easter vacation.
Erskine Jones, a student at Mercers-
burg Academy, is home on a two weeks'
Easter vacation.
Miss Catherine George, of Uniontown,
is here spending a week with her aunt,
Miss Lou ise Rose.
Mrs. Nelle Hauser, of Ben Avon, Pa.,
was here over Sunday with ber parents,
Mr. and Mrs. M. M. Byers.
Mrs. Fred King, after an extended stay
here with relatives, joined her husband
at their New Kensington home Saturday.
C. E. Bills, stockman for the Brier Hill
Coal and Coke Company, dropped in
Tuesday to see a few ot his old local
friends.
Clyde Seaton, ot Pittsburg, is here witb
his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas N.
Seaton, while recuperating from the
dregs of influenza. His wife spent Sunday with bim.
Miss Hattie Rose and sister-in-law,
Mrs. George Rose, spent the week end
witb the former's sister, Mrs. L. L. George,
of Uniontown.
James N. McBride, who has just opened a new auto supply establishment at
Latrobe, called on a few of his old
lriends here Monday.
Top Sergeant and Mrs. Frank Carbaugh
spent last week visiting Ohio friends,
stopping off on their return at Sharon to
eat a bite with Mr. and Mrs. Will Mc-
Cracken.
Private Albert Wise, a United States
regular who was wounded once and
gassed twice on the French front, was
here the past week on a furlough with
his mother.
Mrs. Henry Mechling, of Conneaut-
ville, Pa., who was here the past week
as the guest of Mrs. L. K. Zuck, will go
to a Pittsburg hospital for an operation
before returning home.
C. Melaucon, of Columbus, Ohio, dropped off here Monday with Jerome Kobacker who has been at the Buckeye capital looking after the transfer of the big
department store to the new Kobacker
Company.
Captain Harry Jones, of McKeesporl,
wbo commanded a colored company in
tbe Three Hundred and Ninety-first Infantry in France, was here this week
with his nncle and aunt, Rev. Dr. and
Mrs. E. J. Knox.
Miss Nellie Shupe, of Los Angeles,
California, spent the past week here with
her aunts, Mrs. John M. Berrybill
and the Misses Shupe. She had just been
discharged from war work at Washington
to which place she returned yesterday
to secure transportation to her western
home.
County Medical Meeting.
The Westmoreland County Medical
Society will hold its regular April meeting at Greensburg Tuesday afternoon
next. Dr. Spencer Free, of DuBois, councilor for the Fifth District, will make
the principal address.
LITEJAJRHJONTEST
Between the Philo and Enzelian Societies
April 18.
The annual contest between the Philo
and Enzelian literary societies ot the local high school will be held in the opera
house Friday evening, April 18. The
contestants selected are:
Philo. • Enzelian.
Declamation—
Lawrence Fox—regular—Stewart Dillon
Edward   Mullin—alternate—M.   Levine
Recitation—
regular.
Theodore Bruner Margaret Harmon
alternate.
Virginia Noss Minnie Crosby
oration.
Mervyn Coy—regular—Benj. Levine
John Cost—alternate—Leona Morey
Debate.
Flora Grim—regular—George Cooper
Donald Stoner        "       Gladys Christner
Marion Field—alternate—Sam Kalp
Gilbrrt Clark "       Charlotte Roy
Tbe question for debate is: "Resolved
that further restriction of immigration
in the United States is desirable."
Conrt Sentences.
In courtat Greensburg Saturday Squire
E. S. Williams, of East Vandergrift, convicted of murder in tbe second degree
for having shot and killed Winfield
Stitt, of Vandergrift, was sent to the
penitentiary to serve not less than six
or more than ten years.
Frank Feeley, of Uniontown, who shot
and wounded John Harwin in the leg
here some two weeks ago, was sent to
the workhouse for six months.
Claud Seanor, Lindfay Gordon and
Lee Kreinbrook, Alverton boys who robbed the Byars store there, were sent to
the Huntingdon Reformatory.
New Battery and Tire Station.
Carroll and Canose, of Scottdale, have
leased tbe former garage at the corner of
Washington and Diamond streets where
they are installing an up-to-date tire and
battery station. The shop will be in
charge of A. C. Canose, the junior member of the firm, who is an expert in that
line.
SIGN OF THE CROSS.
Items of Special Interest to the Local
Church Goers.
A local district rally of the three Sunday schools at Bridgeport was held there
Sunday afternoon in charge of President
Milton R. George, of this place. Addresses were made by Rev. A. W. Barley,
of this place, and W. F. Stoner, of Scottdale.
U. Grant Weimer bas the ashes of the
burnt Uniied Brethren church mortgage
preserved in a glass jar with The Journal's account of the celebration exercises.
Rev. W. A. Crofiord will preach two
special discourses at the First Brethren
church Sunday next, on "Prayer and
prayer covering" at 11 a. m. and on
"Shall we know each other in heaven?"
at 7 p. m. The Sunday school hour is
9:45 a. m.
The Juniata College Missionary Volunteer Band will render a special program at the East End Mission tomorrow
(Saturday) evening at 7:30 o'clock and
also at the Mount Joy church on Sunday
morning at 10:45, making a rare treat for
all those who attend either entertainment. Offerings will be taken at both
meetings to go to tbe support of a missionary in India. The public is cordially invited.
Conference Superintendent J. S. Fulton, of Johnstown, was in charge of the
opening of a three weeks' revival at the
United Brethren church Sunday evening.
Rev. R. L. Leatherman, the local Lutheran pastor, will conduct services at
the Lutheran church on Sunday next, in
the morning at 10:30 and in the evening
at 7:30 o'clock. In the evening there
will be an illustrated sermon with the
use of the stereopticon machine, when a
number of views will be shown on the
screen, the subject of which will be "The
Ligbt-Bearers", arranged into three
groups:
I. Tbe Warning Light.
II. The Eclipse.
III. The New Light.
You are given a most cordial invitation to attend these services.
LEAGUE Of NATIONS COVENANT
HAS, HOWEVER, BEEN AMENDED
TOGUARDTHE MONROE DOCTRINE.
President Wilson Evidently Has Another Think as he Holds
up Final Peace Work in Order that the Conference Can Make the Change.
DEATHS OF THE WEEK.
AFFAIRS IN EUROPE ARE IN A DECIDEDLY BAD SHAPE.
President Wilson has apparently reserved the privilege of changing his
mind in regard to amending his League of Nations covenant, to which he
was so stoutly opposed on leaving this country the second time to attend the
World's Peace Conference at Paris. In fact, it is said he was so anxious to
amend it that he has held up tinal work on the peace treaty and is, as a result, being roundly censured for the delay that is held responsible for the
alarming growth of anarchy in Hungary, Russia and Germany.
The amendment safeguards the iV\onroe Doctrine by providing that
agreements under the covenant shall not be construed as an infringement
upon the principles of international policies heretofore generally recognized.
The American amendment, as adopted by the League of Nations commission, protects all nations against the influx ot foreign labor, affirming the
right of any country in the league to control matters solely within domestic
jurisdiction.
The   Grim  Beaper's  Work   in   This
Place and Vicinity.
Mrs. Elizabeth Wood.
Mrs. Elizabeth Wood, widow of Rev.
William Wood and for many years a resident of this place, died on March 17 of
the infirmities of her 82 years at the
Denver, Colorado, home of her daughter,
Mrs. C. H. Donaldson, v. ith whom she
made her home in recent years. Divine
services were held there belore the body
was expressed on last Thursday to this
place, arriving at the King morgue Sunday evening. It was taken to her old
First Baptist church Tnesday afternoon
and then laid away with the husband
and children in the cemetery following
a short service conducted by Rev, Walter Hartman. One son, Ray Wood, of
Washington county, also survives.
Mrs. Wood was of the highest type of
christian womanhood and had a host of
old Mount Pleasant friends wbo will
long remember the splendid crown of
snowwhite hair tbat was hers while she
was still here going about doing good
with a smile that must have often hidden an aching heart.
Mrs. Charles Thurston.
Mrs. Emma Thurston, tbe esteemed
wife of Cbarles W. Thurston, died Monday of rheumatic trouble at her Braddock Road avenue, home, aged 63 years.
Following divine services conducted by
Rev. Sylvester Fulmer, pastor of the
Church of God, the interment took place
Wednesday afternoon in the family lot
in the cemetery at Alverton.
There survive with the husband nine
children—Mrs. Maggie Cramer, Scottdale;
Mrs. Nellie Haney, Staufier; Mrs. Jessie
Piper, Al. and Homer Thnrston, of this
place; Mis. Viola Sullen, Youngwood;
Mrs. Ruby Faith, Southwest, and James
Loren Thurston with Company E overseas. There are nineteen grandchildren
and four great-grandchildren.
Obituary Notes.
Edgar C. Given, of Boise, Idaho.whose
widow was Miss Lizzie Burns, of this
place, died Wednesday, aged 50 years.
One son also survives.
Mrs. Mary E. Peterson died at her
home near Hecla Monday of apoplexy,
aged 71 years. The husband and one
daughter, Mrs. Carrie Fahrr, survive.
The interment took place in the St.
John's cemetery Wednesday forenoon.
John J. Ryan died at his Hunker home
Sunday, aged 75 years,
Uriah Sell, of Old Stanton, died Tuesday.    He leaves two daughters.
TWO BOLD ROBBERIES
Committed at West Main Street Homes of
Dr. F. L, Harsh and John Smelko.
Two bold robberies were committed
Friday night at the West Main street
homes of Dr. F. L, Marsh and John
Smelko evidently by tbe same man wbo
was seen at the latter place and descrbed
as a big fellow wearing a mask over bis
face.
He ransacked the entire first floor of
tbe Marsh residence, getting some six
dollars from a purse belonging to Mrs.
Marsh. He took a borrowed revolver
from one of the Smelko boys and was
bunting for valuables in Mrs. Smelko's
bedroom when she awoke and, supposing it was one of the children, asked
what was wanted. The caller immediately ran down the stairs and ont of the
house, fleeing with three pals on guard
ou tbe outside.
NEW STREET CAR RATES.
TIME IS HERE
TO SPEAK OUT
Regarding the Proposed Memorial for War's Heroes.
GENERAL COMMITTEE READY TO ACT
WHEN INFORMED  WHAT   THE PEOPLE
WISH TO HAVE.
Mount Pleasant and Vicinity Have
Every Keason to be Proud of their
Boys' Record on the Front as Well
as their Support Given at Home. It
is for You to Say What Shall be the
Lasting Tribute Paid to Those Who
Have Fallen that Liberty Might
Live. 	
The people of Mount Pleasant and
vicinity have every reason to feel
proud of the war record of the town
and community. Our brave young
men responded to their country's call
and acquitted themselves in a manner
that leaves no room for criticism.
The people at home have loyally supported the government, and also tbe
worthy organizations tbat labored to
maintain tbe morale of the fighting forces
and to bring comfort and amusement to
the soldiers and sailors. With tbe conviction that the war is over our thoughts
and energies have turned toward their
accustomed channels. Bnt one matter
that must not be overlooked, that now
challenges our attention, and demands
earnest consideration and united action,
is a suitable memorial in honor of the
brave men who have fought and suffered,
and some of whom have died, for the
nation's honor.
A general committee has already been
selected and an organization effected.
The committee does not believe in undue baste. It seeks to carry out the will
of the people. It desires, first of all, to
cultivate a free and frank discussion of
the merits of the various forms of memorial tbat have been proposed. It invites suggestions and communications.
It also proposes to secure information
concerning tbe probable cost of erection
and maintenance of the several forms of
memorials and to bring these facts before
the people. Experience bas shown that
this is the only proper course to pursue.
Certainly the people of this community want a memorial, and they want it
to be such an one as will at least bear
comparison with the splendid record
that calls for its erection. Become a
booster for the memorial! Rally round
the committee, and lend them every encouragement possible. United effort
means success.
 _>■ • -*.	
PLEASING PROGRAM
Remonstrants and Company Officials Likely
to Beach an Agreement.
President of Council Blaine B. Cold-
smith and Burgess S. P. Stevens were at
Uniontown last Thursday conferring with
representatives of neighboring towns
over the remonstrance made against the
recent advance in tbe West Penn street
car rates. Action on the part of the Public Service Commission was held up in
tbe hope that remonstrants and company
officials would eflect an amicable settlement.
Attorney E. C. Higbee was instructed
to arrange a joint conference between
representatives of the different towns
and officials of the company, at which it
is thought, by a careful study of the
company's maps, an amicable adjustment
of the zones in dispute will be effected.
Oiven by the Enzelian Literary Society
Friday Last.
The Enzelian Literary Society gave a
pleasing entertainment at the high school
Friday last nnder the supervision of
Misses  Yothers and   LeFevre.   George
Cooper looked alter the floral decorations
while Stewart Dillon, assisted by Secretary Mae Long, directed the following
program:
Declamation, Alexander Copeland; recitation, Mildred Farmer; vocal solo, Sara
Jackson; reading, Elizabeth Daniels; violin solo, Opal Long; society paper, Morris Levine; piano solo, Gertrude Condon;
critic, George Cooper; vocal duet, Sara
Jackson and Opal Long.
The question debated was: "Resolved
that the daylight saving system is more
beneficial than detrimental" with Lawrence Condon lor tbe affirmative and
Smith lrvin for the negative. The judges
decided in favor of the latter.
Proud of Tbeir Library.
With their teachers the Third Ward
Public School pupils are proud of their
library of 462 volumns which they
bought with money got from the sale of
old papers and magazines. Two hundred
of these books are divided equally between the first six grades and are nsed
in the different rooms under the direction of the teachers. The remainder
form an upper reading library for the
seventh and eighth grade students.
More E Men Back.
Sergeants Joseph J. Killar and Michael
Roth, both local members of Company
E, expect honorable discbarges at Camp
Dix, N. J., in time to be at home this
week. They took part in all the hard
fighting np until October 17 when they
were ordered to an officers' training
school. The armistice prevented them
from winning commissions and they
were sent back in a casual company.
A Severe Operation.
Miss Martha Swart/., youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Swartz, of this
place, underwent a severe, but successful, operation Saturday at the Mercy
Hospital, Pittsburg. The loss ot blood
was replaced by transfusion from tbe
veins of her sister, Mrs. Roy Wilson, of
Turtle Creek. She is, however, not yet
out of danger.