NEWS: The Alleghanian; 24 Mar 1864; Ebensburg, Cambria Cnty., PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Patty Millich Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cambria/ _________________________________________ The Alleghanian, Ebensburg, Pa. Thursday, 24 Mar 1864 Volume 5, Number 26 Local Correspondence Johnstown, March 20, 1864 The stock of goods and property belonging to the late firm of A. & J. Marbourg were sold last week. Messrs. John Geis and Lewis Plitt became the purchasers of the stock, amounting to the value of nearly $10,000. The dwelling house and lot were bought by Mr. C. Suppes for $4,500 and the store room by Mr. J. Weld at which price I did not hear. It is the intention of Mr. A. Marbourg to remove from this place as soon as he can settle up his business. A man named Michael Curly was accidentally shot while standing on the porch of his house in Cambria city last evening. The ball penetrated his left side but striking a rib, glanced off, inflicting a serious though not necessarily fatal wound. The shot was fired by one of his neighbors who was carelessly discharging a gun. Young Updegraff who has been in jail several times already for robbing tills, has once more been exercising himself in that particular line of business. In company with an accomplice he entered the paint shop of Mr. G. Heslop the other night and abstracted therefrom the sum of $15. They were detected and hauled up before Squire Rutledge, who I presume, bound them over to await trial. Coming down Railroad street last night, my attention was arrested by the painful spectacle of a woman holding a baby in one arm, attempting to steady the erratic footsteps of a drunken husband. It was a pitiable sight, truly and no more pitiable than disgraceful. The burden proving too great for her strength, the woman was compelled to relax her hold when the husband pitched forward with his face in the mud. Oh! That the fiends who thus drug a husband and father with accursed rum could be compelled to undergo some of the torments they inflict upon others and thereby experience in a measure the punishment which awaits them in the hereafter! Petitions praying Gov. Curtin to pardon Joseph Moore are circulating around. A great deal of sympathy is manifested in behalf of this unfortunate man and it is apprehended there will be little difficulty in securing a pardon. Though no advocate of the doctrine of indiscriminate killing, I hope this lesson will be a warning to the very large number in our midst who are tampering with the social relations of the neighbors. Part of Co. M, 12th Pa. Cavalry arrived here this morning. Their regiment is in Philadelphia for the purpose of recruiting. The weather for the past few days has been on the rampage – snowing, blowing, freezing, and thawing by turns. The almanac assures us we will have a spell of weather soon; and hoping we may, I conclude. [Signed] May Leon The Concert We neglected last week to notice an exhibition given in the Court House on the 10th inst., by Mr. and Mrs. Luckhardt and daughter, and Miss Scriba, a talented amateur vocal performer from Pittsburg, assisted by the German Choir of Johnstown in behalf of the Lutheran Church of Johnstown. The several parts were ably rendered, Miss Scriba and Miss Luckhardt, in particular, excelling all anticipations. The former possesses a most charming voice while the latter has few equals as a pianist. Mrs. L. is also a superior performer, Mr. L. is an accomplished violinist and the choir attached to the congregation is a most excellent one. The concert gave general satisfaction. The Last Act of the Tragedy In our issue last week we gave a reasonably full report of the great trial of Joseph Moore for the murder of Jordan Marbourg. As before stated on Thursday last at 2 o'clock P. M. after an absence of three hours, the jury returned to the Court room with their verdict - "Guilty of Murder in the second degree." Court then adjourned. Friday – 10th Day of Trial Court met and at ten minutes before nine o'clock in the morning the prisoner entered the court room. He looked much calmer and more self composed than on any previous day of the trial and appeared as though a great weight had been lifted from his heart. And indeed a great weight had been lifted from his heart for each individual of that Jury that found him guilty of murder in the second degree had personally called upon him and gave him the assurance that nothing but a stern sense of the sacredness of the oath they had taken to support the law could have prevailed upon them to impute crime to the unfortunate prisoner. R. L. Johnston, Esq., the leading counsel for the defense, immediately arose and addressed the Court briefly in behalf of the prisoner, asking that, as the one attribute of the law, accountability for the crime committed had been so strictly applied to him, the other, the nobler one of mercy, be also exercised in his behalf The Judge than commanded the prisoner to stand up and asked him, in a solemn tone, "Have you, Joseph Moore, anything to say why the sentence of the law should not be passed upon you?" Moore's Speech The prisoner replied in a voice clear but subdued and indicative of deep emotion, in these words: I have nothing to say why the sentence of the law should not be passed upon me, other than that I am very sorry of having committed the act and regret deeply that the bystanders did not interfere to prevent it. I acted without reflection and was urged on by an impulse I could not control. I am sorry now for the act and had I all the possessions of the world I would freely give them to recall what I have done. But I am here now with my family ruined and destroyed, to receive sentence and all I ask is the mercy of the Court. The Sentence His Honor then proceeded to pass sentence upon the prisoner in substance as follows: - [Extracts] [Snip] The sentence is, then, that you, Joseph Moore, undergo an imprisonment in solitary confinement in the Western Penitentiary of Allegheny, at hard labor for SIX YEARS, and we direct the Sheriff to remove you thence within thirty days. The most impressive silence reigned throughout the court room during the delivery of the sentence and the preceding remarks of the prisoner. The latter manifested some emotion upon hearing the sentence as though surprised at its severity; but in a moment, apparently, he removed himself and there could plainly be read in his countenance the hope of ultimate pardon. [Snip] Chicago Observatory The Chicago people are building an observatory. It is to contain a telescope twenty-three feet long which will weigh about six tons – or twice as much as the great equatorial at Cambridge, Mass. Its cost is estimated at $18,000. Mr. James Dull, of Harrisburg, is one of the contractors for the erection of this important work. War News Since the appointment of Grant as Lieutenant General, the position held for a year and a half by General Halleck has been declared a superfluity. Accordingly, the later has been removed there from and made Chief of Staff at Washington. Sherman succeeds Grant in the command of the Army of the Southwest. Grant's headquarters, as Commander-in-Chief will be "in the field." It is rumored that Lieut. Gen. Grant will soon take command of the Army of the Potomac as General-in-chief and move upon the enemy's works. If so, there will be something done soon. The President has appointed Charles Gilpin, U. S. District Attorney for Philadelphia, vice George A. Coffey, deceased.