March 2

Industrial Development Committee Succeeds

The meeting of the Industrial Development Committee held on Tuesday evening in the Masonic reading room, resulted in the accomplishment of its objective – the promotion of the manufacturing industry in Thurmont.

More than $20,000 in stock has been subscribed toward the purchase and building of the Thurmont Manufacturing Company’s plant. The company manufactures straight-line furniture and has been in successful operation for more than a year. The business outgrew the present facility, and the incorporation of a company to develop the business was proposed by Mr. Style, President of the company.

As it was intended to make it a distinctly community affair, only local stock subscriptions are being solicited. At Tuesday evenings meeting the Chairman reported 89 shareholders of $10 shares, numbering from 10-75 shares each. A stockholders meeting will be held in July for the purpose of electing directors.

Twenty-Five Years Ago

On account of the apparent popularity of the 25 years ago column we ran last week, we shall reproduce them every month or two for a while. It is not a good thing to live too much in the past, nor is it wise to be altogether forgetful of it.

Pneumonia Fatal To Farmer

After a two-week illness of pneumonia, Ira Slonaker, a well-known farmer died at his home near Fairfield on Sunday morning. He was age 34 years old. Slonaker was a long time member of the reformed Church, at the time of his death being an elder in the Trinity Reformed Church in Cashtown. Pneumonia also caused the death of James Smith on Sunday morning. He died at his home in Liberty Township after having been stricken five days ago.

March 9

Changeable Weather

During the past week we have had almost any kind of temperature. Last Saturday and Sunday the temperature was high, thermometers rising well into the 70s. Spring birds sang sweetly, maple trees put forth leaves to such an extent that the tops were green. The change to cooler came Sunday evening, and with it a heavy wind which lasted well into the night. Tuesday the County was swept by the worst blizzard and sleet storm of the winter.

Telephone lines were crippled. About 1,000 phones were knocked out in the county. 100 telephone poles were blown over by the storm. Trees broke under heavy burdens of sleet. It was impossible to estimate with any degree of certainty the amount of damage done in the county.

Trolley service slowed up and transportation over roads made difficult. Traffic on a number of the state roads was nonexistent until noon Wednesday. The snowplows of the State Road Commission had all State highway’s clear of snow by that hour. Travel over several of the county roads in the mountain district was interrupted by trees and telephone poles, which broke off, falling across the highways according to reports.

To The Democratic Voters Of Frederick County

I announce myself as a candidate for the nomination of County Commissioner of Frederick County, subject to the decision of the Democratic primaries this fall. I appreciate the support giving me in the primaries four years ago, and took my defeat without question, working hard for the success of the ticket. I again ask the vote of all Democrats, and pledge, if elected, to administer the office on a business like plan. I further believe that my section of the County is entitled to a representation on the board, and feel that I can serve the best interest of all. Any help given me would be appreciated. - J. T. Joy, Graceham

To The Republican Voters Of Frederick County

About two weeks ago, my name appeared in the News, as a probable candidate for the office of County Treasurer, on the Republican ticket. This was brought about by a few of my friends suggesting that I become a candidate.

Not wanting to go into the campaign ill advised, I have been in communication with quite a number of the districts throughout the County and have received very encouraging reports.

I therefore, announce myself as a candidate for Treasurer for Frederick County and will appreciate the support of the voters. If nominated and elected, I promise my undivided and personal attention to the office. - Very respectfully, Clarence Phicegey

For Sale

My property on the corner of East Main Street in Thurmont. A large three-story house with modern conveniences, with lawn, garden, lot with shade and fruit trees, garage, other out buildings. Suitable for a hotel or boarding house, which is very much needed in our town. Asking $15,000.

Also my stock and dairy farm near Thurmont, in the valley, 137 acres, large brick house, large bank barn with double floors, stable capacity 30 head; wagon shed, corn house, poultry and pig houses, and necessary out-buildings, in good conditions. A good cropper, good water, finest in state; good roads, beautifully situated near town and the Western Maryland Railroad. Asking price $17,500. Possession given immediately – Miss Ella Martin.

Town Cleanup

The Burgess and Commissioners of Taneytown decided at their last meeting that they would hold a cleanup day, this Spring, for the benefit of property owners in town who have no place, and often no way, to dispose of old accumulated rubbish. A day will be set later and noticed given. As we understand it, all old cans, bottles, crockery, and rubbish generally, will be placed by the owners at a common place for gathering up, and will be hauled away, free of charge. This is a fine thing for officials to do, and should be entered into in the proper spirit, by property owners.

March 16

Shot By Neighbor

Charles Hess, about 28 years old, living about 3 miles from Emmitsburg, was shot in the back with a shotgun Monday night by Clarence Andrews, and died Tuesday night.

The two men lived a short distance apart in the Mountain near Emmitsburg, and had been at odds for some time. This due to some sort of disagreement over whiskey.

Hess was indicted by the recent grand jury for selling liquor. According to Andrews, he heard that Hess was coming to his place to disable his automobile to prevent him from appearing against Hess in court on Tuesday.

Andrew stated that he got his shotgun and concealed himself in a wagon a short distance from his barn where his car was stored. In the darkness he saw a figure approaching and recognized Hess. Andrews said he aimed low and fired, not intending to kill Hess.

However, the entire load took effect on Hess’s back, tearing a gaping hole in the back of the victim, piercing Hess’s kidneys, intestines and stomach. Soon after the shooting, Sheriff Jones was notified and went to the scene and arrested Andrews. In the meantime, a physician was summoned and had Hess removed to the Frederick hospital.

State Attorney Aaron Anders and Sheriff James Jones took Hess’s deposition, which he signed two hours before his death. In his deposition, Hess stated that he was on his way to Andrews’ home for some milk and cider for a sick daughter.

"Cider, h-----, " Hess said Andrews exclaimed, and then fired. Andrews was about ten feet from Hess when the fatal shot was fired, according to the statement of the dying man. While Hess was in fact unarmed, he had two sets of pliers in his pocket.

Andrews did not explain how he received word that Hess was coming to his home and refused to give any information after he was arrested.

It is said, that when Hess went to Andrews’ home, he was accompanied by two men, one of the men was named George Wills. The name of the other man could not be learned.

John Mckellip Dead

John Mckellip, Taneytown’s oldest citizen, died on Sunday morning at the rare age of 94. He received a fall on February 19, while stepping onto the back porch of his home from the yard, Which do not injured his body to any extent, but so shocked his nervous system as to cause him to suffer great pain, and to be almost completely helpless, a condition that prevailed up to the time of his death.

Mr. Mckellip was a remarkably vigorous man for his age, and up to the past two years was as active as most men 20 years younger. In fact, up until the time of his fall, throughout the whole winter, he had his rounds of outdoor work, and was frequently on the streets. In sight and hearing he was practically equal to a normal man of 60 years; and had he not received several falls during the past 10 years, his life may easily been prolong to the century mark.

In May 1921 he retired from the drug business in which she had been engaged in Taneytown for 68 years. Mckellip’s was known far and wide for special preparations, as well as for its general reliability and the excellence of its wares. The store was a mirror of the character of the man – strictly honest, conscientious, and dependable. He lived a very conservative, very methodical, easy-going life, perhaps never in the whole of it giving the slightest grounds for enmity on the part of anybody; and he died as he lived, peacefully, in the fullest respect of all who knew him.

Gas Plant Drives People To Electrify

The failure of the Taneytown acetylene gas light plant to operate is forcing many to install electric lights before they are ready. The indications appear to be that further operation of the gas plant will be abandoned, and that even if the exact trouble is located, it will not hereafter be profitable to operate the plant.

Harney Roads

Our roads are in a very bad condition. We have again fully realized the folly of spending money making dirt roads, because they will not stand up to the heavy traffic of today. True they do very well as long as it does not rain, and where there is very little traffic, but on a road like the Gettysburg-Taneytown Road, where heavy machines are daily traveling, it is simply throwing money away to put a little ground in a big mud hole, or rut; because the first heavy machine that goes through opens it up again.

Family Taken Sick

The family of Robert Reindollar of Fairfield,has been experiencing an unusual amount of sickness, at one time. Mrs. Reindollar, has a bad case of pneumonia; her mother and sister are both in bed with the flu, and her daughter is ill with a prolonged attack of ear ache.

March 23

Andrews Released On $2,500 Bond

Clarence Andrews, who has been in jail for nearly 2 weeks, charged with shooting and killing Charles Hess, near Emmitsburg, was released on $2,500 bail after a hearing, and was released for the action of the next grand jury.

The shooting took place at the home of Andrews. The latter fired a load from a shotgun into the back of Hess, who died the following night.

It is said that bad feelings existed between the two men. Hess had been indicted by the recent grand jury for unlawfully selling liquor, and a time was set for his trial. Andrews, who was to have been the principal witness against him, said he heard that Hess was coming to his place the night before to disable his automobile to prevent him from going to the trial.

Hess, in a statement made before he died, said he was on the way to the home of Andrews for some milk and cider for his child who was ill. It is said that a brother of Andrews fired a load from a shotgun in the air and at the same time Clarence Andrews fired into Hess’ back.

Car Falls From Trestle Killing One

One man was killed and three injured, Tuesday at noon when the dump car which they were unloading at the plant of the Greenstone Products Co., west of Thurmont, tumble from an elevator track at the plant.

M. J. Stoner, 18, son of Samuel Stoner, near Thurmont, was killed, death resulting from concussion of the brain. Oliver Miller, 17, of Catoctin Furnace, was seriously injured. He was cut about the head and body, and believed to have been injured internally. He was unconscious when picked up.

Henry Groshon, 43, of Graceham, was injured seriously. It is stated that he is injured internally, and bruised and cut about the body. John Cartley, near Thurmont, was slightly cut and bruised.

The accident occurred at about noon Tuesday on the elevator track connecting the quarry with the plant. The four men, who were emptying a stone dump car, where hurled from the elevator track to the ground a distance of about 25 feet. Stoner was partially buried under stone, and death was almost instantaneous.

The car of green stone had been loaded on Monday, and during the cold weather the stone had frozen into a solid mass. Tuesday at noon, when the four men mounted the car to dump the stone into the crusher they found the contents of the car solid. The car itself had been fastened to the tracks with chains to prevent it from slipping.

After use of picks and shovels a portion of the load fell through the crusher, the remaining load tipping the car, swinging it from the tracks. A portion of the trestle was carried with the car as it and the men fell.

Credit 25 Wives To 73-Year-Old Lothario

Letters are pouring into the Wilkes-Barre Police Department from women throughout the eastern part of the country who claim to have married Charles Davis, 73-year-old Lothario, formally of York Pennsylvania, have led the officials to believe Davis may have from 15 to 25 wives living at the present time.

The letters received so far establish the fact that he has married about 15 women, all living. One of these, Mrs. Ella Finch of Thurmont, obtained a divorce from Davis in Frederic Court, two years ago.

Each of the marriages it is said, came about as the culmination of a correspondence developing from an advertisement through a matrimonial agency, and in each case the Civil War veteran deserted his wife shortly after the marriage ceremony was performed, taking her jewelry and whatever money he could get hold of.

Clues picked up by the police show that Davis was active as far south as Texas, as well as in Indiana, Illinois and in the New England states. Members of the state police today took his picture and it will be distributed throughout the country in order to get in touch with any other of his wives who might still be living.

Davis was arrested in Wilkes-Barre by detectives when he came back to marry a Wilkes-Barre woman. When you arrived he found the bride to be was an earlier wife he had deserted and who had set up a trap for him.

Davis is held on the charge of larceny of $200 worth of jewelry from Mrs. Emma Stringer, Wilkes-Barre, whom he had married several months ago. Soon after the wedding Davis got her jewelry and money and made his departure. The wife never heard from him again.

Mrs. Stringer watched the papers and discovered that Davis was seeking another wife. She started a correspondence with him under a fictitious name and he was quick to propose. She readily accepted, and invited him to come to Wilkes-Barre. Davis wanted a speedy marriage. He arrived in Wilkes-Barre Saturday and was waiting for his new bride to come. While he sat at a desk writing a letter to another woman, the police tapped him on the shoulder and told him he was wanted at headquarters. When he got there Mrs. Stringer was awaiting him and promptly identified him as the man she married.

Davis, according to police, has claimed various occupations, from retired doctor, a rich writer, an actor, to a globe-trotter.

March 30

Brother Accidentally Shoots Brother

Howard McLaughlin, 23 years old, was accidentally shot in his left cheek by his younger brother, John, at their home near Emmitsburg, Sunday afternoon, with a 22-caliber revolver. It is understood that the young McLaughlin, about 16-years-old, was handling the revolver, which he did not know was loaded, when the weapon was accidentally discharged.

The ball enter the left side of the victims face, took a downward course and lodge near the jugular vein. Physicians up to Monday night had not located the ball. He was taken to the hospital by Dr. Birely of Thurmont. It was stated late Monday night that the injury is not serious and that unless unforeseen conditions arise the young man will recover.

Autos And Booze

There are a great many arrests for driving cars while "under the influence of liquor." Other arrest attached to using cars for "transporting liquors"; there are "joy rides" cases of many kinds and consequences; auto trucks are use for freighting away liquors from robed warehouses, racing on the highways, with booze accompaniment, frequently makes business for the courts, and there are other motor-vehicle liquor cases in great variety.

Evidently, motoring and booze are not safe partners; but this does not seem so apparent as that in some way to prohibition laws, and the impossibility of their enforcement, come in for the most blame, while autos, as quick getaway vehicles for criminals, get no blame whatsoever.

Honestly considered, the whole prohibition enforcement matter is rendered several times more difficult because of the use of motor vehicles. It is not so much that law violation and its old plan form, is so rampant, or that the many cases refer to represent normal opposition to these laws, but that the easy swift help of motors should bear the burden of the whole violations.

And just as honestly, we ought to ask what would be the situation, so far as accidents, deaths and joy rides are concerned, were saloons open on all streets and highways, as they were before the autos came into such universal use?

State Police On Watch For Bandit

In answer to an alarm broadcast in all directions from Hagerstown following the $6,800 holdup on Wednesday afternoon, state policeman are on the lookout for fleeing bandits.

The holdup was the most daring ever stage in Hagerstown, it is said, the paymaster of the Roulette Knitting Mill, was robbed of a satchel containing the money not more than 100 yards from the plant. They pay master was severely injured by a blow from a blackjack, and held at bay with a revolver

The car sped towards the state line, police following in hot pursuit of the highwayman. Fleeing in a zigzag line, and traveling on little known roads, the bandit was trailed by Maryland State Police, who were at times not more than five miles behind the man. However the trail was lost near Blue Ridge Summit.

It was later learned that the bandit, through a thorough knowledge of the country, had taken a side road in the direction of Emmitsburg. A roadblock was set up in Emmitsburg, but to no avail, and the chase was abandoned.

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