NEWS: Cambria Freeman; 1907; Ebensburg, Cambria Cnty., PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Patty Millich Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cambria/ Cambria Freeman Ebensburg, Pa. Friday, 30 Aug 1907 Volume 41, Number 35 **[Most of newspaper badly faded] Local and Personal Rev. J. T. Jones left this morning for Granville, N. Y. where he will preach in the Congregational Church both morning and evening. On Monday Rev. Jones will conduct an eistedfodd in an immense tent near the city, 300 voices will constitute the choir of the occasion. T. Stanton Davis left for Dubois yesterday at noon with Messrs. Schuyler Davis, M. J. Stoltz, Donald Shoemaker, Jonathan Owens, Ronald Darragh, in his big "auto." Mr. Davis' horse, "Belle," will compete in the Dubois races today. James H. Connell, well known to most of our readers, has been transferred from the position of PRR agent at Lilly to that of agent at Cresson. Mrs. M. D. Kittell and daughter, who have been visiting in Kansas and other western states, will return to their home in this place today. The Congregational Church building is being treated to a new coat of paint. A new roof was recently placed on this structure. Mrs. Nellie Fitzgerald is recovering from a severe illness at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fes Lloyd. Miss Ethel Thomas, one of the Bell Co.'s efficient "hello" girls has gone to Pittsburg to spend her vacation. The Rev. R. L. Roberts, D. D., will preach in the Congregational church on Sunday morning and evening. Mrs. John Snyder of Gallitzin has been visiting her brothers, Ambrose and John Snyder, of this place. Miss Gertrude Englehart has returned from a several weeks' visit with her brother in Ohio. Attorney H. C. Hewitt of Hollidaysburg made a business trip to Ebensburg Tuesday. The assessors complete returns show a total of 25,407 school children it the County. Nicholas Lyton, of Nant-y-Glo, has been granted a patent on an improved wrench. Register and Recorder Griffith spent Sunday with his parents in Johnstown. Marshall Owens spent last Sunday among relatives and friends in Johnstown. Attorney Philip N. Shettig was in Beaverdale on Tuesday on legal business. Burgess A. J. Waters, of the East Ward, paid Johnstown a business visit Thursday. Miss Sue Smith of Indiana is visiting the S. C. Lloyd family in Ebensburg. Miss Olive and Jessie Devine of the Flood City are visiting friends here. Miss Blanch Wilson of Allegheny is visiting Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Darragh. Orval Scanlan has a severe attack of tonsillitis. F. D. Gibson spent a part of Saturday in Johnstown. Prothonotary Charles E. Troxell spent Tuesday in Johnstown. Hotel Sold James Daily of South Fork has sold his big hotel to James Turner and will go to Ireland for his health. Verdict Arrived at by Coroner's Jury in the Sonman Horror A searching inquiry into the death of the five miners who lost their lives at the Sonman shaft Saturday morning, August 17, which was conducted at the City Hall Saturday evening, ended in a verdict to the effect that the accident was due to the unintentional error of Engineer Holmes, who sent the cage to the top of the tipple, dumping the men down the shaft instead of lowering the cage into the mine as he had intended to do. Full of Stitches Mike Brunda caught his hand in cogs at the hoisting machine at the shaft at St. Michael. Dr. Fitzgerald of South Fork amputated the second finger, sewed up the wound and sent the man home. That night Brunda got his forehead cut in a fight. Dr. Fitzgerald was again called in and added nine stitches to his crazy-quilt. Foot Crushed On Sunday Tony Bernard had his foot crushed by a large piece of wood falling on it while he was at work at the shaft at South Fork. Hurt by Mules in Mine Will Walters, while at work in a mine at South Fork, was thrown against the wall and had his arm badly torn. Dr. Fitzgerald inserted nine stitches to close the wound. Child Born in Alley The town of South Fork was the scene of an unusual occurrence on Monday afternoon with Mrs. Eli George, a foreign resident of Johnstown until recently, became a mother in an alley soon after being put off the west bound train that passes through the place shortly after noon. Mr. George is in the employ of the Eyre Shoemaker Construction company and had recently been transferred from Johnstown to Dryde, Mifflin Co. It was while he and his wife were enroute to their new home at Dryde that the woman became ill. It is said that the trainman put Mr. and Mrs. George off the train without offering any assistance whatever. South Fork people are much wrought up at the action of the trainman. During the afternoon Mrs. George recovered sufficiently to continue on her way to Dryde. Post Card Agent Jailed "Gus" Smith, the agent who was arrested in Johnstown last week with 100,000 obscene post cards in his possession was brought to the county jail on Saturday. Wednesday, a brother of Smith, came from Cleveland to Ebensburg and entered bail in the sum of $1000 for the appearance of "Gus" at the next term of court. Tramps Caught Robbing Cars Four hoboes were caught at South Fork early Sunday morning with a quantity of stolen goods in their possession. P. J. Monahan, a night watchman, while standing in front of the Stineman offices in South Fork, saw a young railroader named Hall arguing with three men who were robbing box cars. Monahan joined Hall, who then notified PRR Officer Clark and Stole Constable Cummins. The four men then surrounded the tramps in an empty house near the old viaduct and took them prisoners. A quantity of provisions and several suits of clothes had been stolen. The trio are now in the county Jail awaiting trial. Letters Lately Issued Estate of Ruth A. Burkey, late of Wilmore. Will probated and letters granted to Daniel R. Burkey. Estate of Christina Pfister, late of Barr township. Will probated and letters granted to Fred Pfister and M. J. Kirsch. Estate of Mary P. Jones, late of Cambria township. Will probated and letters issued to Benjamin Jones. Estate of Capt. Thomas Davis, late of Ebensburg. Will probated and letters granted to Schuyler C., Thomas Stanton Davis and Mrs. Izora Larimer. Estate of William R. Williams, late of Cambric township. Letters of administration granted to Benjamin J. Evans. Canal Boatmen's Association Great preparations are being made at Blairsville to entertain the Twenty-second Annual Reunion of the Pennsylvania Canal Boatmen's Association. About 200 visitors are expected and the people of Blairsville are planning to give them the time of their lives. Committees of the townspeople have been appointed and a fine program is being arranged. Judge L. W. Doty of Westmoreland County and Ex-Judge White of Indiana County have been invited to address the veterans. During the past year a number of members of the Association, among them Thomas Callen of Cresson, have died. The list of dead will be read at the Reunion. Excursion tickets can be secured by addressing Capt. George Rutledge, Johnstown, for card orders. Execution at Indiana! Roap (sic) Breaks When Carmene Renzo's Body Plunges down Through Trap. Second Attempt was Successful The hanging of Carmene Renzo, a big Italian, at Indiana on Tuesday for the crime of murdering his sweetheart more than two years ago, proved to be a far more gruesome tragedy than the crime for which the man was executed, for the hempen rope with which he was to have been hanged snapped like a piece of twine as the body shot through the trap and the dying man was hurtled into a huddled heap on the stone floor of the corridor of the jail at the foot of the scaffold. The spectacle was one of the most sickening that has ever attended a hanging in this section of Pennsylvania. The doomed man was taken from his cell at 10 o'clock in the morning by one of the deputies. At this time he was called and collected, although his hands shook nervously as the cuffs were put on him. His demeanor throughout the last few days in view of the fact that he fully realized he was to be hanged had been remarkable. At no time did he evince the slightest sign of weakening or give the least outward show that he feared the gallows. He spent his last night on earth sleeping peacefully and did not awaken until rather late in the morning. He was given a new suit of black clothes which he donned quietly. He noticed the absence of a collar and requested that he be furnished with one which the attendants were compelled to deny. Renzo did not like the style of the shoes which accompanied the suit but put them on quietly after remarking that they were not to his liking. Dressed for his death, he sat down on his cot and in moody silence, stared at the narrow straight walls. He seemed to welcome the appearance of his jailers and arose promptly. He requested that his hands be cuffed in front of his body instead of behind and after the irons had been adjusted he walked with a firm sprightly step to the scaffold located in the gloomy corridor but a short distance from his cell. He seemed to be surprised at the small crowd of spectators there and eyed the jury which had been stationed a few feet away from the scaffold with seemingly keen interest. He mounted the steps of the platform and nodded to Father Farris, who met him there. The priest and the man who would soon know the secrets of the great unsolved mystery, knelt side by side. A short fervent [next two sentences missing] of the perfect silence. The prayer was brief and as soon as the priest rose to his feet a deputy broke the silence with a few quick steps forward. The noose was speedily adjusted and the knot drawn tight. Another deputy had already bound the man's ankles tightly together. The black cap was drawn over the features. As the priest turned from the last farewell words to the murderer, he again bowed his head in prayer and as the deputies stepped back and nodded to Sheriff Wettling, that official pulled the lever. As the body shot down and the dead weight tightened on the cord, it snapped like a mere piece of cotton. The man landed squarely on his feet and topped over backwards with a convulsive leap. Deputies quickly carried the body to the scaffold and the black cap was lifted from the terribly drawn and distorted features. Few words were spoken by any person but Sheriff Wettling hastily sent for the only rope available for the purpose. The noose was loosened from the dying man's throat and he was supported in an unconscious condition for a period of nearly eight minutes while the second rope was being adjusted. The rope used the second time was secured from the curio room in the jail at Indiana and was one that was used more than a score of years ago on the occasion of the last hanging in the county. This withstood the strain and 15 minutes after the trap was sprung the second time, the victim was pronounced dead and the body cut down and given to a local undertaker by whom it was interred at the expense of the county. The crime which Renzo expiated was the murder of his sweetheart, Marian Bearno, aged 15 years, at her home at Earnest two year ago. It had been negotiated that if Renzo, who was in the country at the time, payed (sic) the passage for the girl and her parents from the old country, he could marry her. Renzo paid for their being brought here but shortly afterward, the girl changed her mind and refused to marry him. She so informed Benzo while they were alone in the home of the parents of the girl and he immediately pulled his revolver and shot her and then followed her as she ran into a neighbor's home and fired three more shots, any one of which would have been fatal. He was to have been hanged more than a year ago.