NEWS: Cambria Freeman; Ebensburg, Cambria Cnty., PA; Sep 1908 Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Patty Millich Copyright 2011. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cambria ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Cambria Freeman Ebensburg, Pa. Friday, 25 Sep 1908 Volume 42, Number 37 **[Most of newspaper faded and unreadable] Mr. Jones Has Resigned The trustees of the First Congregational Church are considering the resignation of the Rev. J. Twyson Jones, who has resigned the local pastorate to become pastor at of the Congregational Church at Iowa City, Ia. Mr. Jones tendered his resignation last Sunday. Reardon Brown at Point of Death Reardon Brown, brother of Hugh Brown and Mrs. Walter Bolsinger of the Central Hotel in this place, who has been ill for almost two years and a half of tuberculosis, the result of an injury sustained while playing football is unimproved at the Central Hotel and his death is looked for at any time. Thought Gun No Good While toying with an old, rusty revolver which was thought to be useless, Ralph Singer, a son of Ex-Register and Recorder James M. Singer of Vinco, accidentally shot himself in the left hand one day recently. The bullet produced only a flesh wound which was dressed by Dr. Wakefield. Walter Dowling's Will The will of the late Walter Dowling of Johnstown has been admitted to probate. All of his property with the exception of $2,500 worth of stock in the Title, Trust and Guaranty Bank, is bequeathed to his wife, Carrie Maher Dowling. The $2,500 in question goes to the deceased's parents. Mrs. Dowling is appointed executrix. Judge O'Connor Ends the September Court – Extracts Dr. Emlyn Jones, Harry B. Mainhart and Frank H. Singer, appointed a Commission in Lunacy to examine into the sanity of Mary Elizabeth Brown of Johnstown, have made their report, adjudging the woman insane and recommending that she be sent to the asylum for the insane at Dixmont. Kills Two Women; He's Glad He Did It Thomas J. Johns of Johnstown Slays Wife and Her Foster Mother Declared He Just Had to Do It Ed Knee's Sister One of Those Murdered Police Discover Greenwich Murder Locked in cell No. 9 in the county jail in Ebensburg is Thomas Joseph Johns Jr., who last Monday afternoon shot and killed his wife and Mrs. Kate Cobaugh at the latter's home in Conemaugh. Jones was captured a short time after the killing near the Conemaugh railroad station, where he fell over an embankment and dislocated a knee. Johns purchased the weapon with which he committed the crime some time Monday afternoon at Johnstown. Dressed in his best clothes he coolly boarded a street car in Johnstown, went to the Cobaugh home on Third Street, Conemaugh, and there shot the women. Mrs. Johns was cleaning a stove at the time her husband appeared. He opened fire without a word. Two shots struck the woman, one passing through the heart and killing her instantly. Mrs. Kate Cobaugh was in the yard back of the house at the time. When she heard the shots she rushed toward the house. The murderer, with the smoking gun in his hand, met her on the rear steps. Without a word he again opened fire and Mrs. Cobaugh was shot twice. A bullet passed through her heart and lung, causing death. Frank Cobaugh, a relative of Mrs. Cobaugh, ran around the corner of the house when he heard the shots and Johns leveled the pistol at him. Cobaugh ran. Johns pursued him down the street to the bluff over the Pennsylvania tracks near the station. There Cobaugh swerved but Johns ran straight ahead. Not knowing of the steep bluff, he fell down over the embankment. He was taken into the station by several men who saw him fall and there he was found some time later by Constable Kissel. He was given a hearing by a Conemaugh justice and held for court on a charge of murder following the finding of a corner's jury. Johns did not deny that he killed the women. He admitted it following the murder and he admits today that he killed them. He goes so far as to say that he is glad of it. Johns was jealous of his wife. He had no reason for this it is declared. He made a charge against Mrs. Cobaugh which has not been proved, nor can it be, it is said. He declared that Mrs. Cobaugh had induced his wife to leave him. For six weeks, Johns and his wife had not been living together, the husband staying at the Mansion House in Johnstown and the woman with Mrs. Cobaugh in Conemaugh. The latter practically raised Mrs. Johns. When Mrs. Johns desired a home she naturally turned to her foster mother and aided her in washing, which Mrs. Cobaugh did for a living. The accused man was brought to Ebensburg Tuesday morning. He brought with him a cheap copy of the bible; a religious novel and couple of magazines. His injured leg is bothering him considerably but will not inconvenience him for any length of time. Johns will be tried at the December term of court. Mrs. Cobaugh was a sister of Warden Ed Knee of the county jail. Murder Discovered at Greenwich Coroner McMillen of Barnesboro is endeavoring to locate the man or men who killed Marcus Milea, a foreigner, in an abandoned hut near Greenwich. So far no trace of the murderers has been secured. The body of Milea was discovered on last Saturday evening by Peter Cobra, a fellow countryman, who went to the boarding home to spend the night before returning to Heilwood, Indiana County, from where he had come on Saturday to draw some pay from the Greenwich Coal & Coke Company. The side of the head was crushed in and there were several knife wounds. Cobra notified Coroner Dr. J. C. McMillen and the body was removed to an undertaking establishment where an autopsy was performed. Cobra and six others, all of whom had been fellow boarders of the murdered man, were taken into custody and cross-examined by Dr. McMillen but their stories satisfied the authorities that they did not know anything about the murder and they were released. The scene of the murder is an old empty boarding house owned by the Greenwich Coal & Coke company in which Milea, Cobra, Schurnovenski and eight or nine other miners made their headquarters during the summer without any arrangements whatever with the owners. During August all left but four and on September 6th another left for Heilwood, Indiana County. On Sept 7th Cobra left for Heilwood. Schurnovenski and Milea assisted him to the railroad station with his [words faded]. That was the last seen of Milea and Schurnovenski. It is thought that they returned to the house and Milea was either killed in a quarrel with Schurnovenski or was murdered and robbed.