COURT NEWS, Altoona Tribune, May 3-7, 1918, Altoona, Blair County, PA Selections for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja Copyright 2004. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/blair/ _______________________________________________ COURT ITEMS from the Altoona Tribune, Friday Morning, May 3, 1918, page 1 BEDFORD Mr. and Mrs. Silas Conlon Charged With Selling Liquor Illegally Bedford, May 2. - Charged with selling liquor illegally and also furnishing same to a soldier, Mrs. Margaret Conlon and her husband, Silas Conlon, of North Point, Broad Top township, were given a hearing before Justice Frank P. Ake at this place yesterday, and upon furnishing bail, each in the sum of $500, were released. The couple was arrested by State Police Schell on oath of Burzey Kreiger, following an investigation made by a U. S. marshal. At the hearing it developed that the soldier, James Troy, who shot Theodore Reideler, aged 15 years, at Riddlesburg, on April 22, when the latter was trying to persuade his father and several others not to drink any more, had been supplied with liquor by several friends, who secured the same from the Conlons and were "celebrating" Troy's furlough from Camp Lee, Va. For a week the lad's death was daily expected, but he was removed to his home from the Huntingdon hospital last Saturday. He is a hopeless invalid, the spinal cord being severed by the bullet. Being convinced at the hearing that the shooting was purely accidental and was the result of the plentiful supply of liquor, District Attorney H. C. James got into communication with the government, turning the case over. An investigation followed, the soldier being escorted back to camp, and the arrest of the Conlons resulting. Testimony revealed the fact that the couple had been selling liquor for several days preceding the shooting and that these men had paid $6 for two quarts of whiskey. They made no denial of the charges. Attorney E. M. Pennell represented the prosecutor. Kreiger was one of the six companions of Troy who were arrested with him and held as witnesses to the shooting, he having served a short term in the county jail not long ago for selling liquor on Broad Top. COURT ITEMS from the Altoona Tribune, Friday Morning, May 3, 1918, page 5 NEW CLAIMS RECEIVED Widow of Miner Asks Large Compensation for Death of Husband Caused by Blood Clot. Two new claim petitions have been filed at the office of Referee Jacob Snyder of the Sixth compensation district. The first is that of Mrs. Damey Berry and Thomas W. Berry of Holsopple vs. the Victor Coal Mining company, in which the widow claims $15,000 compensation for the death of her husband who died as the result of a blood clot on the brain, which the widow alleges was caused by striking his head against the roof of the mine in which he was working. The second case is that of Patsy Foss (Pasquale Tossi) of 158 Forest street, Gallitzin, vs. the Pennsylvania Coal & Coke company (State fund) Harrisburg, which is a petition for modification. Foss was injured on December 21, 1917, when he was caught between a mine car and the roof of the mine, spraining his right wrist. The coal company alleges that Foss has received $32.34 compensation and that he returned to work on February 1, 1918, and that he has suffered no loss in earning power. COURT ITEMS from the Altoona Tribune, Friday Morning, May 3, 1918, page 7 JUNIATA FRANKS FOLLOWED FLITTING Tom Watson moved from East Juniata to Altoona yesterday morning and was yesterday afternoon brought back to settle a little matter of fines for violation of the compulsory school attendance act. The late citizen of the borough was on April 16 haled before Squire D. D. Coleman at the instance of Truant Officer W. L. Calvert. Because his daughter had not made good in school attendance the man was handed a decision of $4.50, fine and costs. He asked for time and was released with the understanding that the money would be paid by april 29. Without coming across he moved out of Juniata yesterday. Constable Clair Franks followed the flitting and Watson retraced his steps to pay a bill that additional processes had swelled to $8. EVENTS ABOUT TOWN Waived Hearing. W. V. Shaffer, of East Juniata, last evening waived a hearing before Squire Coleman, on charges of drunkenness and disorderly conduct and entered bail for appearance in court. Shaffer was arrested on Tuesday night on information preferred by D. H. Meck, and is alleged to have made some headway in an attempt to smash the front of the D. H. Meck and Son store. COURT ITEMS from the Altoona Tribune, Friday Morning, May 3, 1918, page 10 VARIETY OF GOODS STOLEN. Man on Shopping Tour Makes Many Purchases - Entire Afternoon's Purchases Stolen. When Joseph Eiber, of 1602 Twenty-third avenue, entered a local hotel yesterday afternoon he had no idea that it was a hospital operating room, but subsequent events seemed to point that way. Before he left the hotel three kidneys in his possession, as well as a number of other articles, were found to be missing. Eiber on a shopping tour made quite a variety of purchases, among them being two chair seats, a bottle of medicine, an electric brush and three kidneys from a local butcher shop. He laid the packages down in the hotel and when he returned to get them found nothing but the medicine bottle, which had fallen from its wrappings and broke. Kidneys, chair seats and electric brush were gone. Information was made before Alderman Theodore Crawford of the Fifth ward and C. Krider was arrested last evening, charged with the theft of goods. The case will receive a hearing before Alderman Crawford this afternoon. Mr. Eiber's purchases were worth $2.35. MOTORISTS FACE MAYOR One Driver Discharged for Parking Car in Restricted Area - Two Other Hearings. W. L. Brown, charged with parking his motor car in the restricted traffic district at Union and Eleventh avenues, was given a hearing and discharged yesterday afternoon by Mayor Rhodes, at police court. He was arrested Wednesday night. S. B. Boyer left $5.80 security yesterday afternoon to answer the charge of leaving his machine stand in front of a fire plug at Eleventh avenue and Fourteenth street. W. C. Lingenfelter was arrested during the day for violating three sections of the city traffic ordinance. His case is scheduled for police court tomorrow afternoon. ALDERMANIC NOTES Cases Heard or to Be Disposed of in Courts of Local Magistrates Mrs. Madeline Little, this city, charged with assault and battery upon Mrs. Mary Charles, will be accorded a hearing Tuesday evening at 7:30 by Alderman Gorsuch, Third ward, the case having been continued from last evening. Fred Ferguson, of 1324 Sixteenth street, arrested on Tuesday, charged with violating the automobile act, received a hearing before Alderman Shuff yesterday afternoon. He was discharged. COURT ITEMS from the Altoona Tribune, Saturday Morning, May 4, 1918, page 4 CLAIM PETITION DISMISSED. Compensation Referee Jacob Snyder Dismisses Claim of Miner's Widow. The claim petition of Mrs. Sophia Doran, of South Fork vs. the Priscilla Coal Mining company, in which Mrs. Doran asks for compensation for the death of her husband, Louis Doran, was disallowed by Referee Jacob Snyder, of the Sixth compensation district, in a decision handed down yesterday. Mr. Doran, who was employed by the defendant company as a driver in the mines, on June 16, 1916, was squeezed between a car and the rib of the mine. He later developed kidney and heart trouble, which Mrs. Doran alleged was caused by his accident. The claim was dismissed for the reason that evidence deduced at the hearing did not establish the fact that Doran's death was the result of this injury or from disease contracted during his employment in the mines. COURT ITEMS from the Altoona Tribune, Saturday Morning, May 4, 1918, page 8 NOTES FROM THE COURT HOUSE The May term of argument court will convene at Hollidaysburg on Monday morning, May 6, with sixty-nine cases on the list. Notice has been posted on the bulletin board at the prothonotary's office, of the intended application in court for the transfer of the liquor license of the St. James hotel, 925 Seventeenth street, Altoona, from Anthony McNelis to Patrick F. Burk of Altoona. The application will be made on May 13. Short Court Session A very short session of the county court was held yesterday morning at Hollidaysburg by Judge Thomas J. Baldrige, at which additional arguments were made in the Calvin estate case, presented by Attorney W. L. Woodcock and District Attorney M. D. Patterson. Slight differences regarding a lease for the use of rooms of 808 Green avenue, Altoona, for an automobile repair shop conducted by Lee Black were adjudicated between him and Charles W. Eckenlaub, a real estate agent of Altoona. COURT ITEMS from the Altoona Tribune, Saturday Morning, May 4, 1918, page 16 PERSONAL NOTES S. B. Beyer forfeited $5.80 security in police court yesterday afternoon, when he failed to appear on the charge of violating the city traffic ordinance. ALDERMANIC COURT NEWS Cases Heard and Pending Before Magistrates of the City. Fred Ferguson, charged with driving his motor car on the Buckhorn highway while intoxicated, on information of Oliver Tressley, a coal truck driver, before Alderman Gorsuch, Third ward, yesterday brought a like allegation against Tressley. Both cases will be hard at 7:30 Monday evening. C. Krider, who was arrested on Thursday evening, charged with the theft of three kidneys, two chair seats and an electric brush, the property of Joseph Eiber, of 1602 Twenty-third avenue, had a hearing before Alderman Theodore Crawford, of the Fifth ward, yesterday afternoon. He was committed to court. COURT ITEMS from the Altoona Tribune, Monday Morning, May 4, 1918, page 8 HOLLIDAYSBURG EVENTS ABOUT TOWN Fritz Fisher, who was arrested at Hollidaysburg on Friday night, by Major James W. Hayes and Officers J. F. McIntosh and Charles Seeley of Company G, Home Defense Police, is still confined in the county jail awaiting an investigation of his case. Fisher came to Hollidaysburg three weeks ago from Chicago and secured employment on the P.R.R. COURT ITEMS from the Altoona Tribune, Monday Morning, May 4, 1918, page 12 TWO JUNIATA GIRLS MUST FACE CHARGE Baltimore Police Claim Young Women Are Implicated in Jewel Theft Julia Wilhide, alias Jean Bradley, aged 17, and Ann St. Clair, aged 18, both of Juniata, were arrested Saturday afternoon at their homes by City Detective J. W. Hauser, on the charge of larceny and defrauding, preferred by Baltimore police, who claim they are implicated in thefts of jewels. Police claim the young women had been away from their homes about six weeks, visitng Philadelphia, Washington, Baltimore and Rochester, N.Y. It is said the St. Clair girl wrote to her parents for money while in the Empire state city and her father went there and returned with the pair on Friday. Chief Tillard received an inquiry about the young women about April 23, shortly after they had departed from Baltimore, authorities in that city claim. The girls were not at home at that time. The robbery is alleged to have occurred on April 8. A stick-pin valued at $60, another worth the same amount, six diamonds worth $5 each and which had been cut from the pieces they ornamented, and twelve sapphires valued at $2 each, or a total of $174, are cited as being the loot taken from John K. Wetter, a Baltimorean. Baltimore detectives worked up the case against the girls, charging them with receiving stolen goods, and a verdict of guilty was returned against them by a jury. It is unlikely that they will not waive extradition papers. An officer is to arrive for them today, the prisoners being detained at city hall. DRUNK WEARS TWO SUITS; MUCH COIN Inebriate at City Hall Disgorges Money from Every Pocket, Totaling $9.61 Police station attaches debated over the question of whether they had arrested a miniature clothing store or a walking national bank Saturday night when Harry Shannon, drunk and disorderly, revealed that he was encased in two suits, every pocket of which contained nickels, dimes or pennies. After the inventory had been completed, it developed Shannon's supposed wealth did not exceed $9.61. The man was brought in from Green avenue and Eleventh street, at 7:20 o'clock, where he had been entertaining a group of admirers, it is said. A suspicious drunk was arrested at 1:50 a.m. yesterday at Eleventh avenue and Twelfth street, but left $10 security. Three other drunks were corraled, two of them getting home before breakfast by leaving securities. H. N. Krembav, charged with driving a motor car while under the influence of liquor, was arrested at 11:55 p.m. Saturday at Twelfth avenue and Eleventh street. Four bottles of beer were taken from his car. He was released after furnishing $25.80 security. COURT ITEMS from the Altoona Tribune, Tuesday Morning, May 7, 1918, page 7 DOMESTIC TROUBLES TROUBLE THE COURT Argument Court Opens With Minor Cases - Lists Gone Over With Attorneys The opening session of argument court yesterday morning was occupied with the hearing of several desertion and non-support cases and quite a number of motions and petitions that were presented to Judge Baldrige. The court, with members of the bar, went over the trial lists for both argument and common pleas court, and many cases were continued. The first case to come before the court was that of Mrs. James E. Eckels, who charged her husband with failing to support herself and two children. The wife claimed her husband drank considerably and had not lived with her for some time. The court ordered him to pay her $21 per month, the payments to start at once. John Koch, Mrs. Sarah McClellan and Mrs. Hulda Fagan were defended in a suit brought before the court, in which they were charged with neglecting to support an indigent mother. Each of the three was directed to pay $5 monthly toward her support. Glenn Black, otherwise known as Charles Black, submitted to the charge of desertion brought by his wife and was sentenced to pay her $15 per month, the payments to start this month. Walter M. Miller, charged by his wife with desertion and non-support, was directed by the court to pay her $17 per month for herself and child. Frank Fields and Mrs. J. B. Fields were in court seeking the appointment of a guardian for John B. Fields, now confined to the Blair county hospital, who it is claimed is weak-minded and unable to look after his affairs. The people are residents of Tyrone. Dr. H. J. Sommer, superintendent of the Blair county hospital, and several other physicians were called to the stand to testify regarding the mental condition of the aged man, who is a Civil war veteran. The latter is to be removed to the home of his son, Frank Fields, and a guardian appointed by the court at a later time. Motions and Petitions. The bond of Albert G. Pasco, esq., as trustee of Nancy V. Walton, late of Tyrone, in the some of $500 was approved. The Hollidaysburg Trust company was named guardian of Melvin Francis, Regina Marie, Vincent DePaul, Mary Elizabeth and Matthew Plagenta, and its bond of $100 in each case was approved. A rule was awarded, returnable next argument court, to show cause why A. S. Vogt and A. B. Vogt should not be discharged as administrators of the estate of Clara A. Flynn, late of Tyrone. A subpoena, returnable the first Monday in June, was awarded in libel in divorce of Oliver Gossett vs. Grace Gossett. Rule was awarded to show cause why Robert A. Cook, administrator of William T. Cook, deceased, should not be discharged and sureties relieved. The petition of the Hollidaysburg Trust company, guardian of Michael Zeigler, of Allegheny township, asking for an increase in monthly allowance, was granted, the sum being increased from $30 to $50. Charles M. Kurtz, master in the divorce proceedings of Anna F. Himes vs. Samuel D. Himes, filed his report recommending a divorce on the grounds of cruel and barbarous treatment. John Woodcock was named as master in the divorce case brought by Elva Green Glass vs. Earl Ranson Glass. The bond of Daniel Waite in the sum of $400 as guardian of Earl Waite, a minor and son of David B. Waite, was approved. An alias subpoena in the divorce case of Sadie Cupp vs. Lawrence Cupp was made returnable the first Monday in July. H. F. Walters, master in the divorce proceedings of Lena Moser vs. Joseph Moser, submitted his report, recommending that the latter's second marriage be made null and void, it being alleged that Moser has a wife living in Blandenberg, Germany. Action in the divorce case of Martha Treese vs. Irvin R. Treese, now deceased, has been stopped, following the death of the respondent, and the prothonotary ordered to pay all unpaid costs. The Lincoln Deposit and Trust company of this city was named guardian of John E. Brubaker, minor child of W. H. and Jennie Brubaker, and of Roy, Raymond and Clayton Closson, minor sons of David and Sadie Closson. -30-