NEWS: Cambria Freeman; 13 Jan 1905; 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/ _________________________________________ Cambria Freeman Ebensburg, Pa. Friday, 13 Jan 1905 Volume 39, Number 1 **[Two pages of this edition are badly faded] Items Local and Personal Dr. O. G. A. Barker spent last Sunday at Kane. Mrs. A. H. Bender spent the week in St. Augustine. Philip G. Fenlon of St. Louis spent the week in town. Miss Margaret Ray is seriously ill at the Convent in this place. Mrs. Frank Jarvis of Belle Vernon is the guest of her mother, Mrs. Ella Owens. John McCann of Blandsburg is visiting his sister, Mrs. Ambrose Schettig in this place. Mrs. Olin Thomas spent last week with her friend, Mrs. Albert Morris in Barnesboro. Miss Julia Brown has accepted a position with the Postal Telegraph Co. at Cresson. Attorney James M. Walters was transacting legal business here on Tuesday. Misses Gussie and Margaret Pruner have returned from a two weeks visit in Pittsburg. W. B. Little, Esq. of Loretto was a pleasant caller at this office one day this week. Harry Rodgers of Connellsville returned home Monday after a visit with relatives here. D. Foster Lloyd of Pittsburg spent Sunday with his sisters, Misses Allie and Margaret Lloyd. Miss Millie Griffith of Pittsburg is a guest of her sisters, Mrs. J. G. Lloyd and Mrs. Martha Kerby. John Bender of Altoona was stricken with paralysis on Tuesday and is in a very critical condition. Mrs. Walter Bishop of Philadelphia who has been visiting relatives in this place returned home Friday. Mrs. Sarah McGuire who makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Callahan of near Loretto, fell the other day and broke one of her legs. Bright News from Patton Ralph S. Tozer was at Clearfield on Wednesday attending the funeral of his uncle, James McPherson, who was buried at that place. Mr. George S. Good of Lock Haven spent several days of this week at Patton. A progressive euchre party was held Wednesday night in the A. O. H. Hall on Magee Avenue Mr. William Yeckley of DuBois spent a short time in Patton on Tuesday. Hon. W. C. Lingle, Geo. E. Prindible and Charles Anna have joined the ranks of the millionaire capitalists by being elected directors of the First National Bank. Mr. Wolf of Curwensville, member of the firm of Wolf & Thompson, clothiers of that place, was here Wednesday to settle up the year's business and to take home with him his immense share of last year's profits. Hon. James Kerr, President of the Beech Creek Coal and Coke Company, was in town Tuesday. Misses Ida Orris and Marie L. White of Bellefonte attended the dance at Carrolltown last Friday. Jail Record Broken The placing of Jacob Hauser in the county jail here on Thursday of last week brings to light the fact that a jail record has been broken as there are at present six persons confined there who are alleged to have been connected with murders in Cambria county in the last few months. Never has the jail held such a consignment of prisoners connected with homicide cases and the murder record of Cambria county lately is a startling one. Two of the prisoners are Jacob Hauser, lodged in jail Thursday and Luziano Pongia, the Patton Italian, who was placed in jail Wednesday of last week for the shooting of Antonio Panfarelli. Panfarelli died Thursday morning, making the charge one of murder over Pongia. Another prisoner of interest is Stephen Fellows who was convicted of the murder of his wife at the last term of court. Susie Banyo, the foreign woman of Cambria City, who is alleged to have poisoned her husband and Thomas Cunningham of Portage who is alleged to have kicked his wife to death are awaiting trial at the next term of court and add to the criminal gallery. The sixth prisoner on a homicide charge is Joseph McKeel of Conemaugh who is alleged to have been among the Portage bandits who held up and killed Paymaster Charles Hays last summer. He was arrested on a false pretence, charged and is now doing a nine months sentence and in the meantime it has developed that the officers suspect him of participating in the affair. To prove further that Cambria county is under the criminal spot light it will be remembered that Frank Davis was hanged last August. In addition to this, two foreigners of Johnstown are serving sentences in the Western penitentiary for the murder of Michael Nightengale on Fifth avenue of that city last summer. This case was tried at the September term of court. On top of the above two, are the cases of John Murphy of the Tenth ward, Johnstown, who was found dead at Loretto, Oct. 4, under suspicious circumstances and Patrick O'Malley who was found dead at Cresson last Saturday night. There was an air of mystery and suspicion about both of these deaths that has never cleared. Warden Resigns Warden James Reynolds of the county jail has resigned his position and has accepted a more lucrative one in Johnstown. Store Burned The store of Joseph Lehmier of Spangler was destroyed by fire recently, the loss being $1,200, fully covered by insurance. Held Up by Boys Thursday, shortly before noon, while on his way from Gallitzin to Glen White where he intended to apply for work in the mines, Fred Collins was accosted by two boys who ordered him to hold up his hands. He paid no attention to them whereupon one of them drew a revolver and shot him through the right thigh. His assailants made for the woods without attempting to secure the small amount of money he had on his person. The wounded man tried to make his way back to Gallitzin, but became so weak from loss of blood that he finally sank exhausted in the snowy road. He was picked up by a teamster about half an hour later and taken to the office of Dr. T. E. Bradley, who dressed his wounds temporarily. Later he was sent to the Altoona Hospital. His condition is not considered serious. Big List of Fatalities Sixteen Come to Untimely End in Eight Days, Commencing December 31st The list of fatalities in this county is one that cannot but give the most careless pause. Death literally seemed to be in the air. The brutal passions of men were apparently dominated by some malignant star and fate seemed to have placed the rudder of events in the hands of Mischance. Commencing with the death of Patrick O'Malley and ending with the death of Frank Smith, of Ebensburg, there were just 16 fatalities, which resulted from other than natural causes, within the eight days commencing Saturday, Dec. 31 and ending Sunday. O'Malley was either murdered or struck by a train, just which, has not been determined. Richard Cressel, aged 30 years, was run over by a freight train five miles east of Conemaugh the night of Dec. 31, dying some hours later at the Memorial Hospital, Johnstown. Daniel Conlogue of Morrellville, who was hurt at the blast furnaces, died at the Cambria Hospital Monday, on which day John Hoboca was struck by a train near Sang Hollow and killed. Paul Zubal died at the Cambria Hospital last Wednesday as the result of injuries received at the Franklin plant. Peter Swamp of Hastings committed suicide Wednesday. On that day, Mrs. Mary Barringer and Mrs. Irene Hauser were murdered at their home in Moxham and a Patton miner was killed in a mine. Thursday Antonio Panfarelli died at Patton as the result of pistol shots fired by Luziano Ponzio. John Rovan, a miner, was killed in a mine in the Eighth ward, Johnstown. Friday George E. Cannon of Johnstown was killed at the Sand Patch tunnel and George Barron of Morrellville was struck by a PRR train at Sang Hollow and killed. Saturday Pietro Manno was struck by a train at Cresson and so badly injured that he died shortly afterward at the Altoona Hospital. Edward Miller, a brakeman, was killed at Nantyglo on Saturday also and Sunday Frank Smith died in this place as the result of injuries received through a fall. It will be seen that there were three murders, one suicide, seven fatal railroad accidents, two mine accidents, two mill accidents and one death through falling.