NEWS: Cambria Freeman; 23 Jun 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, 23 Jun 1905 Volume 39, Number 24 Items Local and Personal Mr. Ivan McKenrick is home from Lebanon college. Mr. and Mrs. S. L. Reed were in Johnstown last week. Mr. "Coxey" Brown returned home from Pittsburg Monday. Mr. Herbert Evans of Johnstown spent Sunday at this place. Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Mitchell arrived here Friday for the summer. Mr. Ed Boes of Allegheny township was in town on business Tuesday. L. P. Wilman of Hastings was among the business visitors in Ebensburg Monday. Eldon Evans is home from Ada, O., where he is taking a commercial college course. Miss Mary Gallow spent Saturday with her parents at Altoona, returning to Ebensburg Monday. Mrs. M. D. Bearer and family drove to the Bearer homestead in Susquehanna township on Tuesday. Mr. L. J. Baker of Hastings sold a team of fine horses to William Kimball Monday for which he received $450. Mr. George A. Davis is home from Milwaukee where he went as a delegate from the local lodge of Heptasophs. Messrs. Frank Smith, Bert Connell and Ronald Darragh are home from State college to spend the summer vacation. Mrs. Cyrus Howell of Johnstown is visiting her sister, Mrs. Robert Treese and other relatives in this place. Judge Owens, accompanied by Miss Loretto Thomas, drove from Johnstown Sunday and were guests at Fenwycke Hall. Miss Ethel Shields left Tuesday for Pittsburg where she will be present at her brother, Leonce's wedding, the 27th of June. The Misses Annie and Mary Thomas and Bertha Sharbaugh of Carrolltown are visiting Miss Stella Eckenrode of this place. Among the prominent Johnstowners in town this week were ex-Chief of Police John T. Harris, David R. Bryan and George M. Wertz, ex-Sheriff. Michael Thomas of Elder township, a brother of Judge Thomas, is reported to be still in a serious condition and the attending physician gives little encouragement as to his recovery. Mr. Joseph Bearer and wife of Carroll township, who for some time have been desirous of locating in Ebensburg, were here on Monday looking for a site for a house. Their efforts, however, were not successful and instead of coming to Ebensburg, it is quite likely they will purchase a home at Spangler. Miss Jennie M. Evans and Miss Margaret Griffith departed Friday evening for Ann Arbor, Mich., where Miss Evan's brother, Morgan, will graduate from the law department of the University of Michigan. The two young ladies will be away for some time. Victor Nelson, foreman of the MOUNTAINEER-HERALD, is confined to his room with an attack of pneumonia. Raymond J. Kaylor, editor of the Johnstown JOURNAL, paid us a pleasant call while in town on business today. Harold Plank who has been attending State college is visiting his relatives, George H. Roberts, and his sister, Miss Bird Roberts of this place. The annual commencement exercises at Mt. Aloysius academy, Cresson, took place Tuesday of this week. A large number of young ladies participated. Augustine Eberly and C. A. Burgoon of Ashville departed last week for Bisette, Ariz., where they will remain some time in the hope of benefiting their health. The first case of heat prostration recorded in Ebensburg this year occurred Tuesday when Roland, son of George Davis, was stricken suddenly. The young man has recovered. Judge Bell while holding court at Blair county this week counseled the jurymen that they might discard their coats without committing a breach of court etiquette. It is said that Grier Hile, who recently embarked in business in East Liverpool, Ohio, will return to the Metropolitan Hotel shortly where he was employed as manager before going to the Buckeye State. Prof. F. B. Ott who has for the past three years been principal of the Ebensburg public schools will leave the county capital shortly and will locate in Johnstown where he will engage in other business. Prof. Ott has been very successful in his teaching here and his many friends regret to learn that he is to leave Ebensburg. The old stone quarry on the John Evans' farm in Cambria township has been sold to a party of capitalists who will begin active operations within the next week or 10 days. A railroad track or spur will be extended from the Blacklick branch and from 10 to 15 carloads of stone will be shipped daily. About 85 men will be employed. Mrs. Abner Griffith and daughter, Elizabeth, will depart next week for Chicago where they will visit Mrs. William J. Amigh. They will also visit relatives in Nebraska, Kansas and Iowa. David R. Bryan of Johnstown was a visitor in Ebensburg yesterday. Miss Maggie Hopfer of Wilkinsburg and Miss Lulu Keefer of Pittsburg are visiting the Hopfer families in Ebensburg. Mrs. George Porch of this place has gone to Johnstown to spend several days with friends. Gallitzin Notes Gallitzin borough at present is enjoying a genuine building boom, a number of very fine residences being in the course of construction. Among those erecting residences in the "Tunnel Town" are James Westover, Thomas Lloyd, Wilfred Shaffer and F. Cranour, who is putting up a new store building. The Seigfried society is constructing a second story to their hall. J. R. Campbell has moved into his new residence on Church street which has just been finished. The Stull Bros. of Altoona who secured the contract for laying the sewer system, consisting of 1,800 feet, started to work on Monday. The contract price was $4.50 per foot. Will be Ordained to Priesthood Many readers of THE FREEMAN will be pleased to learn of the fact that Joseph H. Farren, a former resident of this county, has completed his studies for the priesthood at St. Vincent's college and Arch-Abbey and will be ordained to the Holy Priesthood at that place at seven o'clock a.m. Friday, July 7th, 1905, by Rt. Rev. J. F. Ragis Canevin, D. D. THE FREEMAN join with the many friends and relatives of Rev. Farren in wishing him success in all his administrations in the sacred missions of this labors. Rev. Joseph H. Farren will celebrate his first Solemn High mass on Sunday, July 8th at St. Thomas' Church, Braddock. Rev. Farren is an accomplished scholar, and an orator of unusual qualities, he having earned the gold medal at the college for first honors in logic and oratory several years ago. Cresson Mountain House to be Opened The Mountain House at Cresson, at one time one of the most famous summer resorts in the United States, is again being repaired and renovated and within a short time, so reports have it, the grounds at that place will again resume their old time splendor. It is announced that the Mountain House will be operated within the next few weeks as an annex of the Hotel Schenley of Pittsburg. For a couple of weeks, carpenters and other artisans have been at work on the Mountain House. Several years have passed since the Pennsylvania railroad conducted the famous hotel. Taken to the Penitentiary Sheriff Lenhart accompanied by several deputies escorted several prisoners to the Western Penitentiary on Wednesday. Among whom was John V. Price, sentenced for a period of one year and one month for embezzlement; George Manloff received a sentence of six years for assault and battery with intent to commit rape; John Grubb, who will serve a sentence of one year and three months for breaking and entering in the night with intent to commit a felony; John Laransky was sentenced to one year for assault and battery; Yonko Yorik also received a sentence of two years for assault and battery; John Nobak and his wife, Catherine, each will serve a sentence of one year on the charge of larceny and receiving stolen goods. The sheriff also took to the institute for feeble minded at Polk, Stanley Peszko and A. G. Ribblett. On the same trip the sheriff had to charge Frank Adams of Clearfield township and Louis Springfellow of Patton, both of whom were recently adjudged insane and were committed by the Court to Dixmont. Springfellow who was formerly a resident of Patton drifted into Clearfield county and finally wound up at the county home of that county and about two weeks ago was brought to the poor farm in this county by Poor Director Davis of Clearfield county; shortly afterwards he showed symptoms of insanity which necessitated his confinement. Walked from Johnstown to Ebensburg J. E. McKenrick and James Marshall, two young men from Johnstown, walked from Johnstown last Sunday morning in exactly 4 hours and 26 minutes, 20 minutes of this time was consumed in a wait of a sheltering barn until a violent rain storm passed by, thus allowing 4 hours and 16 minutes for the walk of over 18 miles. Arriving here, they stopped at the Mountain House for dinner and then started to walk back via Loretto. Ebensburg Horse Market Ebensburg is doing its share in supplying the neighboring country with good horses. This week William Kimball shipped 45 head of draught and driving horses to A. O. Courtright at Scranton. A pair of chestnut sorrel draught horses weighing 2,800 each to A. O Marts of Altoona. He also disposed of a team of dark chestnut brown draught horses, weighing about 2,000 and a gray draught horse to J. L. Mitchell to be used on his farm. Cases in Bankruptcy The latest cases of financial difficulties that have engaged the attention of Referee in Bankruptcy, Horace R. Rose of Johnstown are those of Mr. Gates of Flinton; Paul McCloskey of Windber and Fitzpatrick brothers of Gallitzin. The preliminary meetings of creditors in the Gates and Fitzpatrick cases were held on June 10 in Referee Rose's officer in the Lincoln building at Johnstown. The preliminary meeting in the McCloskey case is set for the morning of the 23rd. Fitzpatrick brothers who are in the liquor business give their liabilities at $22,241.71 with assets of $1,613.61. Paul McCloskey who is a merchant owes $1,411.82 against which he has about $1,000 available. According to the schedule of accounts filed by Mr. Gates, his liabilities are $17,188.63 and his assets $21,536.34. That Margo (sic - or Wargo] Case – Extract – most of article faded The sale of the PRR property seized at Gallitzin by Sheriff Lenhart to satisfy the claim of Mrs. Annie Margo of Cresson has been postponed indefinitely as a result of a hearing at Ebensburg last week before Judge O'Connor. [snip] The woman was awarded damages in the sum of $2,600 against the railroad company for the death of her husband. The PRR did not pay pending an appeal and the property was seized on an execution. Conclusion of Court! Much interest was shown in the trial of "Cad" McKee, Nellie Russell and Mabel Gould, denizens of the Hill district in Johnstown, on charges of receiving stolen goods, preferred by W. H. Templeton, a Tyrone dry goods merchant. The alleged stolen articles were several hundred yards of silk discovered by the Johnstown police in the place conducted by the McKee woman on the Frankstown road. Mr. Templeton, the first witness called by the Commonwealth, said that on the night of December 15th last thieves gained entrance to his store through a rear window and got away with about 500 yards of valuable silks. A part of the goods shown in court were later recovered in the McKee place in Johnstown. A number of the witnesses' employees corroborated his testimony and identified the silks. The jury returned a verdict of guilty for the McKee and Gould women but recommended them to the "extreme" mercy of the Court. Nellie Russell was acquitted. George Hay, upon a charge of assault and battery with intent to commit rape, preferred by Mary O'Connor, was allowed to plead guilty to simple assault and battery and directed to pay the costs, $10 fine and serve thirteen days in jail. A settlement was arranged in the suit brought by Mary Axmacher against Ira Leslie. Joseph Fabian, prosecuted by Constable Charles Stiffler of Nantyglo for illegal liquor selling was found guilty but recommended to the mercy of the court. Fabian was sentenced to pay the costs, a fine of $500 and serve three months in jail. The costs, a fine of $25 and three months in jail was the sentence passed upon Thomas Pokeshaw who pleaded guilty to a charge of felonious cutting preferred by John Democko. Pokeshaw is said to have carved up the prosecutor's face with a penknife. Carl Nissel, accused by Jacob Gerris of the larceny of $40, was found not guilty and discharged. The Court got distinctly up against it in the case in which Joseph Haynes, the defendant, proved to be a deaf mute. It was understood that he wanted to plead guilty to a charge of breaking and entering, preferred by John Elliott and when he was asked about it in writing he shook his head affirmatively. When, however, he was asked to write his plea he made signs that he couldn't do it. The case was held over. John Yarbinus pleaded guilty to a charge of assault and battery preferred by his wife, Mary. When questioned by the Court, the defendant said that when he got on a jag he simply couldn't help abusing somebody. Judge O'Connor warned the man against such behavior and then directed him to pay the costs, $10 fine and to serve thirty days in jail. After that he is to enter his own recognizance in the sum of $500 to keep the peace. Catherine Novak of Prospect pleaded guilty to shoplifting at the Penn Traffic store in Johnstown, while her husband confessed to having received the stolen goods into his house. They were directed to pay the costs with further sentence suspended until further investigation could be made by the court. The costs were divided in a case in which C. A. Sharbaugh and C. A. Buck were accused of malicious mischief by Amanda Sharbaugh. Hauser Murder Case The trial of Jacob Hauser, charged with the murder of his wife, Irene in Johnstown, was taken up Thursday last. Hauser, dressed in a neat suit, black clothes, looking healthy, self- possessed and clean was brought from the jail to the court house at 11:30 o'clock by Warden McMullen. The jurors finally selected were: A. Dougherty, merchant, Ashville William Burkett, miner, South Fork John F. McGough, carpenter, Summerhill borough Daniel Rafney, laborer, Patton J. E. Singer, restauranteur, Blacklick township Thomas Ford, laborer, Fifteenth ward, Johnstown George S. Gore, gentleman, Third ward, Johnstown Celestine Myers, shoemaker, Cresson township J. Shields, gentleman, Loretto John Zern, laborer, Ebensburg Milton Isenberg, laborer, Ebensburg John R. Lehman, clerk, Ebensburg The last three gentlemen were called from the open court. Hauser sat with his attorneys, J. Wallace Paul and H. B. Mainhart, Esqs., when the trial opened. District Attorney Leech conducted the case for the Commonwealth and had with him ex-District Attorney Stephens who was in office at the time of the murder and conducted the investigations made immediately after the crime. Dr. Emlyn Jones of Johnstown who conducted the post-mortem examination of the two murdered women was the first witness called. From the time the defense opened its case by placing Hauser on the stand, it had been apparent that his only hope lay in the possible establishment of a theory of insanity. The prisoner himself violently denied that he was of unsound mind or ever had been, but all the evidence for the defense was presented with the idea of showing both that he was subject to "queer" spells and that insanity in a mild form was a characteristic of his family. A number of witnesses were called by the defense to testify to queer notions on the part of Hauser. Hauser said he went to the Barringer house on the night of January 3rd about 11:55 o'clock. In accordance with a prearranged signal he shook the door knob three times and rapped twice. His wife admitted him and asked first thing what had become of his mustache. He said he had removed it so "old Ike Harris" (the witness always referred to the officer in this way) wouldn't know him. The night was bitter cold, he said and he took off his coat and shoes to warm himself at the stove. A few minutes later he went out to a building at the rear of the house and while there became suddenly afraid that his wife was preparing some trap for him. He became imbued with this idea, he said, that he dared not go back but started out the street on the run. Witness told of getting the shoes at George Brooks' place and said he had purposely lied to Brooks about getting into a fight with Italians because he thought that story would work better. From the Brooks' house Hauser said he went to Charles Umberger's and bought a bottle of laudanum for $1. He told Mr. Umberger he wanted the stuff for a sick horse. When he got to the mine where he was captured he started a fire in the shanty outside and then went into the workings to sleep. At this point in his testimony the witness said the night was not particularly cold – a flat contraction of a previous statement. On cross-examination witness denied that he had half-starved his wife or that he had forced an entrance into the Barringer house or that he had been in his wife's room on the night of the murder. He said that all those witnesses lied who had said they heard him threaten to kill his wife. "Do you remember everything that happened on the night of January 3rd?" asked District Attorney Leech in conducting the cross examination. "I remember everything I did or said," he said. "[several words faded] you crazy?" continued Mr. Leech. "If you think I'm crazy you're a damn liar." Dr. Emlyn Jones, who performed the autopsy, was called. The victim's principal wound, one which would itself have proved fatal, witness said, was a deep cut beginning at the left arm near the shoulder, where it severed an artery and continuing thence into the side of the body, penetrating the lung and causing an internal hemorrhage. Another cut on the neck severed the jugular vein. Anna May McGunigle, sister of the murdered woman took her place without apparent hesitancy and after the first few minutes gave her testimony clearly and with no sign of nervousness or confusion. She said she was eleven years old and at the time of the murder had lived with her mother in the house on Grove avenue. Her sister, Irene, witness said, had not lived with her husband for some time previous to the night of January 3rd, but had on one occasion come to the Barringer house to see the baby. Another time, witness had seen him looking down at the house from a field in the rear. On the night of the murder, witness continued, all the inmates of the Barringer house had gone to bed at 9:30 except Irene who was in town and didn't get home until later. Witness didn't hear Irene come in but knows the latter slept on the side of the bed nearest the door with the six month old baby between her and the witness. All the windows were nailed fast and a light was kept burning for fear of a threatened attack by Hauser. A little dog which had been lost for several weeks had come home that day and was in the house. Anna said she was awake when Hauser entered the room about 2 o'clock, she thought. He leaned over Irene and said something and the latter cried, "O, Jake, don't." Anna became frightened at this and covered her head with the bed clothing. When she looked again Irene was lying on the floor in a pool of blood. The baby had fallen out too and was lying by its dead mother apparently unconscious. It didn't recover, witness said, for several days. Anna then ran downstairs to find Mrs. Barringer, her mother, lying behind the kitchen stove. Mrs. Barringer was moaning and witness heard her say, "God have mercy on my soul." When the dying woman saw her daughter, she asked her to kiss her and after the witness had done so she asked her to sing, "Jesus Lover of My Soul." Anna sang four lines but couldn't remember any more. Witness said she was excited and didn't know that she had been wounded until she noticed her knee was bleeding. At the direction of the district attorney she displayed a big scar on her knee. The strongest witness for the commonwealth was George Barringer, husband of one of the murdered women. He was called after the McGunigle girl had left the stand and gave a straight forward story which counsel for the defense was entirely unable to break down in cross examination. Mr. Barringer corroborated the statement of the previous witness that all the members of his household except Irene Hauser had gone to bed about 9:30 on the night of the murder. About 10:30 he came downstairs and let in Irene who had been in town. Both went to bed immediately. Describing the room in which he and his wife slept the witness said that all the windows were tightly nailed and a lamp kept burning brightly on account of Hauser's threats against his wife and Irene. The lamp and a loaded revolver were on a chair beside the bed. About 2 in the morning Mrs. Barringer wakened the witness and asked if he didn't hear the dog barking. Both jumped up and Mrs. Berringer ran to Irene's room. At the door she stopped and said, "My God George. It's Jake killing Irene." Witness saw Hauser strike Irene in the neck and said the bolo knife shown in court was one like that used by the prisoner. Turning from his wife, Hauser struck Mrs. Barringer in the breast and started downstairs. Mrs. Barringer followed crying, "For God's sake, run for your life." Witness had the lamp in his left hand and the revolver in his right. He tried to shoot Hauser but was too weak or too nervous to pull the trigger. When he got down stairs, he saw his wife trying to open the door but before she could accomplish it, Hauser plunged the bolo into her side. He then struck at the witness but missed him and ran outside. In the back yard Jake turned and said, "I'll be back and murder every damn one of you." Hauser's face was a study at times during the examination of this witness. Usually stolid enough of countenance, he almost laughed aloud once when Barringer was asked why he didn't shoot the man who was killing his wife. Several times he grinned at questions of a similar nature. Continuing his testimony Mr. Barringer said he had found Hauser's coat and shoes under the kitchen table and a bottle of chloroform in one of the coat pockets (he identified the articles shown in court). Hauser had gained admission to the house, he said, by prying open a window with a miner's pick. Mrs. Elizabeth Barringer, the next witness, said she had cleaned up the Barringer house after the murder. She described the location of the blood spots and identified the bolo knife shown in court. The testimony of Louis Escher of Conemaugh township concerned itself with the bolo knife and Hauser's actions before going to the Barringer place. Mr. Escher said that he operated Capt. A. K. Geiselhart's farm off Cover Hill and that Jacob Hauser and his brother, Joe, worked for him at odd times. Jake was at his house on the evening of January 3rd and had borrowed a razor to shave off his mustache because he said "old Ike Harris" was after him. When the witness got up the next morning Hauser was gone, as were also his trousers, his watch, the razor and a big bolo knife which had hung above the stove downstairs. The bolo had been used to cut weeds and the witness was positive in his identification of it in Court because of a certain string with which he had wound the handle. The instrument had been sharpened since it left his hand, witness said. The watch and razor were also identified. Capt. A. K. Geiselhart told of having received the bolo from a man named Miller who had served in the Philippines and giving it later to Louis Escher. He couldn't positively identify the weapon shown in court but said it was exactly like his. Ex-Chief of Police John T. Harris told of Hauser's incarceration in the city prison and of finding upon his person, the watch, the razor and a bottle of chloroform. These things together with the shoes, stockings and sweater worn by the prisoner were turned over to County Detective E. H. Knee. Mr. Knee identified the articles shown in court as those given him by Chief Harris. [Former Plain Clothes Officer Berkeybile testifies next but his testimony is mostly faded from the newspaper as are the next three paragraphs] When the taking of testimony had been concluded Attorney H. B. Mainhart for Hauser stated that the defense would submit its case to the jury without argument and Judge O'Connor then made his charge to the jury. After being out for an hour and fifty seven minutes the jury returned in the courtroom and rendered a verdict of guilty in the first degree. Jacob Hauser received the decree without a sigh of emotion and walked away with firm tread back to the county jail where he has been confined since the day in January when he brutally stabbed his wife and mother- in-law. Immediately upon hearing the verdict Attorney J. Wallace Paul of counsel for the defense made a motion for a new trial. Other Court News Two years in the Western penitentiary, a fine of $200 and the costs were the punishment inflicted upon Yonko Yorick, convicted of carving up Mike Gojeowich with a stiletto. Mr. and Mrs. John Novack, convicted of wholesale shoplifting at the Penn Traffic store in Johnstown, were given each three years in the pen and fined $100. During their confinement the Court directed their three-year-old child to be cared for at the Catholic Orphans' Home. John Grubb pleaded guilty in breaking and entering and got fifteen months in addition to a $50 fine. Veronica Fibster accused by John Bozic of trying to defraud a Croation insurance society by forgery and other unlawful devices was found not guilty but directed to pay two-thirds of the costs of $180. The prosecutor must stand the balance. [Snip] Mrs. Mary Michaelosky was charged with keeping a bawdy house by Joseph Thomas, husband of one of the alleged inmates. She as found guilty but Attorney M. B. Stephens staved off a sentence by moving for a new trial. Joseph Myers, accused of the murder of Frank Moreno at Portage a couple of months ago, will not be tried until the next term. When the case was called Friday, a number of important witnesses were missing and Attorney William Davis for the defense told the Court that business of a pressing nature would prevent his giving the case his attention this term of court. [remainder of court news is too faded to transcribe] Harry Clarlin Harry Clarlin, aged about 59 years, a miner employed at Barnesboro was run over by a freight train and instantly killed at that place Sunday night.