NEWS: Items from the Morning Tribune, November 12, 1879, Blair County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JRB Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/blair/ _______________________________________________ Items from the Morning Tribune, Wednesday, November 12, 1879 ADDITIONAL LOCAL NEWS. Bold Attempt at Highway Robbery. Charles W. Sickles, whose butcher shop is on Ninth street, above Eleventh avenue, while walking to his shop from his residence in the darkness and rain about 5 o'clock yesterday morning with three account books under his arm, was attacked on Lexington avenue, between Eighth and Ninth streets, by an unknown man, who knocked Mr. Sickles' umbrella out of his hand. The blow is supposed to have been struck from behind a tree-box, and the plain intention of the assailant was robbery. Mr. Sickles found it necessary to strike the man twice with his fist and to draw his revolver before the fellow would leave. At sight of the pistol, however, he made himself scarce, followed by a couple of shots from the pistol. If Mr. Sickles had fired sooner he would have in probability killed the thief, as the men at first were not two feet apart. One book dropped from under Mr. Sickles' arm during the difficulty, but the two others, which were valuable, he retained possession of. Mr. Sickles told a reporter yesterday that he has had feat of being robbed and a man has been dogging his footsteps at night for some time. He thinks he will be able before a very long time to fix the guilt upon the proper person. The Eureka Go-as-you-please Match. The following entries have been made for the twelve-hour go as you please match under the auspices of the Eureka Social Club, which takes place on Thursday, November 27 (Thanksgiving day): C. C. Shannon, Jr., Albert Burkholder (who by the way is said to have been eating raw eggs ever since the Kittanning wreck), "Fatty" Kendig, ----- Winters, C. W. Keyes, Joseph Freshcorn. Mr. J. S. Stier is the stakeholder. The medal will be on exhibition at Mr. Stier's tobacco store in a few days. Drunk, Disorderly and in the Lock-up. A young fellow named Edmiston, 17 or 18 years of age, was arrested at Eleventh avenue and Tenth street about 1 o'clock this morning for drunkenness and disorderly conduct. He was with a party of young men who were making a great deal of noise on the corner. He refused to go home as directed by the police and was taken to the lock up. Thomas Engle and another party who was found sitting against the fence of the depot, both drunk, were also locked up. The Mayor will attend to their cases this morning. STATE NOTES. Mahlon Miller, the sexton at Rosemont, Huntingdon county, is 99 years old and has dug 917 graves. George Mellon, of Pittsburgh, missed his wife during the night, and found her standing in a closet with a razor in her hand, and her throat cut from ear to ear. William H. Kock, a soldier's orphan, and an inmate of the Mount Joy solders' orphan school, has been admitted to Girard College, through the instrumentality of the soldier boys of Schuylkill Haven. David Folk, of Kutztown, Berks county, withdrew the charge from Samuel Rahn's gun and then waged him that he (Folk) could not be shot with it, as he had the gift of pow-wowing. Rahn took the bet and fired, and some of the shot that Folk had overlooked entered his breast and wounded him painfully. Francis D. Kerr, of Baltimore, while putting a bell into a church steeple in Carbondale, one day last week made a misstep and fell a distance of 95 feet. He struck upon a coil of rope, and his fall having been partly broken by catching a rope, he escaped without any bones fractured, although he was severely bruised from head to foot. CITY AND COUNTRY. THE COLORED METHODISTS. The Old Church Made to Look Like New. The Dedication on Sunday. The rickety old wooden building that for a long time marked a spot on Sixteenth street, above Eleventh avenue, which has been known as the "Union Church" or school house, has lately undergone a complete transformation. The building was one of the very first ever erected on the present site of the city - in fact it is said it stood where the remodeled structure stands today many years before Altoona had been thought of, and some say it was at least fifty years old when the recent repairs were commenced upon it. For considerable time past - at least while its condition permitted - it has been used by the members of the African Methodist Episcopal congregation as a place of worship, and nearly all the Protestant congregations that exist in the city to day have at one time or another worshipped within its venerable walls. During the last year the old building became really unfit for the purposes for which it was desired to use it, and the colored Methodists determined on renovating and remodeling it entirely, and the result is that its appearance to day is that of a new and comfortable church, which, in fact it is, for the rejuvenating process has been thorough, inside and outside, besides being considerably enlarged and wide steps and a porch erected before the front door. The pews are all in place and the finishing touches of painting and graining were being put on yesterday. The walls are not papered or ornamented, but have a beautiful white "hard finish." The pulpit has not yet been delivered from the hands of the mechanics, but it will be erected in time to be used at the dedication. The church presents a decidedly neat and cosy though plain interior appearance, and the colored people are entitled to considerable credit for their untiring efforts to make for themselves a comfortably sanctuary. The cost of the repairs was not less than $600, the money being raised by subscriptions among the friends of the congregation, both white and colored. The dedication of the church to the worship of God will take place on Sunday next at half past 2 o'clock in the afternoon. Bishop A. W. Wayman, of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, who delivered such an able discourse from Dr. Hamlin's pulpit recently, will conduct the services and preach the dedicatory sermon. He will be assisted by Rev. Dr. Hamlin, Rev. Mr. Sherlock, and others. A large audience is expected to be present. In the morning of Sunday Bishop Wayman will occupy the pulpit of Rev. M. K. Foster, of the Second Methodist Church, Eighth avenue and Thirteenth street. Letter List. ALTOONA, PA., November 10. - Following is the official list of letters remaining uncalled for in the Altoona postoffice November 10, 1879. If not called for within four weeks they will be sent to the dead letter office. To obtain any of these letters personal application should be made, giving date of list: LADIES. Prest, Miss Annie Kemerling, Miss E. R. Beck, Miss Lizzie Kelly, Amanda Brubaker, Miss Marge Lutz, Miss Annie M. Barker, Mrs. Mary McMullen, Mrs. Martha Bashore, Mrs. Mary McAnn, Miss Mollie Doiner, Miss Mollie Molloy, Mrs. D. Duffy, Miss Maggie Mills, Mrs. E. L. Engle, Miss Mary McCarty, Miss Annie Fox, Mrs. Agnes Quillie, Mrs. Amelia Fluke, Mrs. Ellen Robinson, Maggie Glasgow, Mrs. Sophia Reynolds, Miss Matty J. Garman, Miss Vallie Stout, Mrs. Kate Glass, Mrs. Augustine Wilson, Miss A. J. Hammaker, Mrs. M. J. Woodcock, Mrs. Rebecca Houser, Mrs. Sarah Wensel, Mrs. C. E. GENTLEMEN. Africa, Thomas Lower, Dorsey Bertram, John Master, August Brooke, John T. Myers, Charles Burkholder, John Mason, David Border, S. P. McFarland, M. Brennan, Michael McNally, Eugene Baker, Adam Newton, G. W. Burns, Harry Patterson, Robert Crider, Harry Potter, James Carpenter, L. Richardson, John Devore, J. H. Ryan, Edward Dalton, John Rice, Cliff Eckel, Andrew Ressler, David A. Eberhardt, Peter Shultz, Albert Eckart, F. Sheehan, Jerry Farsht?, Samuel Swisher, Peter Hicks, Jackson Stover, Milton M. Henly, J. P. Smith, Thomas Kelly, James Tate, William H. Lathero, Jacob Taylor, George Lathero, Washington Yingling, Frederick Lane, T. M. T. B. PATTON, Postmaster. Relinquishes His Medical Studies. James Blair Decker, son of Mr. William Decker, of Logan township, after spending about three years reading medicine in the Eclectic school in the State of Indiana, started early in the fall to attend a medical college in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He returned home a short time since, being unable to continue his studies on account of illness. Mr. Decker is quite a promising young man and we hope he may soon be able to resume his medical studies. FROM HOLLIDAYSBURG. Ore Hill's genial citizen, Mr. J. Derno, paid our town a business visit yesterday. James Hyland, the Frankstown man who cut his throat with a razor on Monday evening, is not dead, as at first reported. Dr. Hays, of this place, was called and sewed up the gashes in the neck of the would-be suicide, and there is now a possibility that he may get well. Hyland has been subject to spells of insanity for years, and was for a short time an inmate of the almshouse, to which institution he was again returned yesterday evening. Sheriff Stiffler landed his last lot of prisoners in the Western Penitentiary on Wednesday last. All appeared perfectly reconciled to their fate but poor "Bud" McCullough, who felt the disgrace severely. Notwithstanding, his conviction and drunken habits, but few people in this town believe he intended to commit a crime, and an effort will be made for his pardon. The McMahons were recognized by the prison authorities, having but a short time before been discharged from that institution. They were sent there for robbing a store in Westmoreland county soon after the car robbery at this place. Four of the five persons had been there before and assured the Sheriff that they would prefer serving two years in the penitentiary to six months in our jail. FROM ROARING SPRINGS. An infant son of John Snyder died at Rodman furnace yesterday. Rev. E. Dutt, of Carlisle, Pa., preached in the Lutheran Church on Saturday night. Two more new houses are going up. Mr. John Marker is putting an addition to his dwelling. Attorney Brumbaugh was in attendance at the Sunday School Convention at Lewistown, Pa. Dr. A. S. Stayer has made a handsome improvement to the front of his dwelling in the shape of a portico. Spring street is looking up. George Sowers, one of our enterprising hucksters, met with an accident on Tuesday morning. It was unusually dark at the time he proposed to start for Altoona. He deferred going until it was lighter. He then thought of his lantern and started. By not seeing his way clearly he accidentally drove too near an embankment near Rodman furnaces and overset into the creek, demoralizing his wagon and scattering his load. Mr. Sowers escaped, however, with several bruises. His horses were slightly injured. CITY AND COUNTRY. Things Briefly Told. Miss Ida Clark, a charming young lady of Williamsburg, is visiting the family of William McClellan, Esq., of this city. Mr. James D. McClellan, of West Chester, Pa., formerly Superintendent of the Logan House, was in the city yesterday. Frank Orr, Jury Commissioner-elect, passed along Eleventh avenue yesterday afternoon with an armful of doll babies, and when hallooed at he defied any one to say he had never drawn a jury. Rev. J. M. Titzel, of Irwin, Westmoreland county, recently elected to fill the pulpit of Christ's Reformed Church, this city, has accepted the call and will probably preach his first regular sermon next Sunday. The congratulations of the Tribune printers are tendered to Mr. and Mrs. George Z. Abrahims, made "one flesh" by Rev. M. N. Cornelius last evening. Mrs. Abrahims was formerly Miss Sarah J. Miller. Some splendid wedding cake accompanied the notice that appears elsewhere. Mr. Joseph Lewis ("Barney O'Toole") arrived in this city last evening, and will henceforth conduct the rehearsals of the "Patriot Sons of '76," which will be produced at the Opera House on Friday and Saturday evenings for the benefit of the charity fund of Post 62, G.A.R. The prospects are that the drama will be presented very successfully. A large number of tickets have been sold and the house will without doubt be crowded at both performances. TWO FORTUNATE ESCAPES. How a Couple of Workmen Fell from Houses and Were Scarcely Injured. A young man named Thomas Carlin, about 18 years of age, residing on Fifth avenue, above Twelfth street, narrowly escaped a broken neck yesterday morning about 11 o'clock. Mr. Carlin is learning the trade of a bricklayer, and not being engaged during the morning he paid a visit to his uncle, Thomas Drumgoold, who was building a chimney on the roof of the new house of J. W. Curry, at the corner of Eleventh avenue and Seventeenth street. He was about to descend a ladder at the rear part of the roof, and his feet were planted on one rung while his hands grasped the topmost rung. The rung in his hands broke off, and Mr. Carlin was precipitated to the ground, a distance of about nineteen feet. Fortunately the earth was soft from the rains and there were no stones lying about. He struck the ground on his hands and knees, his head bumping against terra firma from the force of the fall. A heavy plank that lay near by might have caused him severe injuries had he fallen upon it. A Mr. Stewart was descending the ladder at the same time, and he hurried down and assisted Mr. Carlin, who was able to get up, but he would have fallen afterward had he not been supported. His face and head were slightly scratched, but the injuries were not at all serious, and he went to work in the afternoon, although feeling a little sore. A painter who was working at the cornice of a house on Seventh avenue, between Fifteenth and Sixteenth streets, on Monday, was standing on the railing of a second story portico and supported himself by a bracket that extended from the window. The bracket all at once pulled from its fastenings, the painter fell backward to the ground, and made quite an indentation therein. Strange to relate he arose apparently unhurt, but considerably surprised. He was able to walk about all right in the afternoon. The Threatened Shooting of Mr. Jaggard. Henry Wood, the sanguinary and desperate individual who was arrested on Monday charged with threatening to shoot Mr. Clement Jaggard, was before the Recorder yesterday afternoon for a hearing. It appears that Wood, who had been in the employ of Mr. Jaggard, visited the latter's house on Monday and threatened him, using vulgar and obscene language and attracting a large crowd about the premises. Mr. Jaggard subsequently proceeded to the Recorder's office and made information against the disturber. Wood returned to Jaggard's house in the afternoon of the same day. He inquired for Mr. Jaggard, and stated that if he could find him he would shoot him like a dog. He also instructed one of Mr. Jaggard's employes to tell him that he (Wood) was going to shoot him. Three witnesses swore that the threats to shoot were made. The accused made no defense and Wood was fined $1 and costs under the city ordinances, and in default of payment he was sent to the lock up for six hours. The charge also included vulgar and obscene language, and on this Wood was placed under $300 bail to appear at court to answer and in the meantime to keep the peace. The case of Mrs. Miller, mother of "Jack" Miller, against Charles W. Taylor (the apple-stealing affair), whom she charged with locking her son up in the store, etc., was continued before the Recorder yesterday owing to the fact that the prosecution was not ready.