Thursday, May 17, 1900
LAWLESSNESS
Occasionally it becomes necessary for the newspaper man to give the county represented by his newspaper a black eye. We think it proper to refer to the increasing number of petty crimes committed in this county, and it is high time the people of the county were doing something to counteract the spread.
Besides the actual commission of the crime, the fact that a law, which ought to be held sacred, has been broken, calls up a fear that there may be coming a time when the disregard for law and order may be a real menace…
The root of most of it is the illegal sale of whiskey. There is something debasing in the conducting of the “speak-easy” both for the seller and the buyer. Many persons have been aroused to the condition of the illegal traffic here, but so far, we have lacked men who are willing to take the initiative necessary to enable the officers to close the places.
We consider this responsible for most of the rowdyism. Another evil is the carrying of concealed weapons. When you take a revolver away from a hasty youth, it is like clipping the claws of a tiger. He is rendered harmless…
Pocahontas must not let her enviable reputation for law and order slip from her at the very time when she needs it most.
ALAN COULTER MURDERED
Allan Coulter, a well-known citizen of the county, was shot by someone who had lain in wait for that purpose at his barn on his farm on Laurel Run, in the Levels District, opposite the mouth of Locust Creek, Tuesday, the 8th inst.
The deceased had been planting corn and had come to the barn, about three-quarters of a mile below his house, to put his horse up. It would seem from appearances that Coulter had put his horse in a stall and passed through a shed into the cutting room, fed his horse, and had probably reached up for his coat which was hanging on a nail when he was shot through the heart from behind with a 38 repeater. It is thought the shooting was done about noon. The body was discovered at dusk.
An examination of the locality showed that the woods came down within thirty yards of the barn. Traces of where a man stood behind a tree were found and from there a trail as tho he had hurried down to a fence corner near the barn. This corner had been fitted up with bark to make it a sort of “blind.”
The deceased was bout sixty years of age. He was well known here some years ago as a party to a long divorce proceeding in which the court finally entered a decree giving the parties six months to return to each other in order to ascertain some of the property rights in the case. There was a decree of divorce granted finally. Afterwards he married a Mrs. Rider, who survives him. He was not a man who was generally liked.
Last Saturday, William Coulter, his brother, had a warrant issued for Ed Coulter, a grandson of the murdered man. Young Coulter is about of age. The case against him is wholly circumstantial and is based on his refusal to give an account of his whereabouts on the day of the tragedy. He was brought to jail Saturday night.
IN RECONSTRUCTION DAYS
There is a tale knocking about this county about two legislators who went to Wheeling, the State Capitol, to attend a session of the legislature in the days of the reconstruction. One of them thought the other too plain to represent his county and he undertook to coach him, so that he would make a better appearance in society.
His friend said he would do as he pleased, and that he had as much sense as any of them.
“No, you haven’t,” said the monitor. “You know you haven’t. “I’ll bet you five dollars you can’t say the Lord’s Prayer without looking at the Book.”
The bet was accepted, and the legislator, to prove it, rattled off the verse. “Now I lay me down to sleep,” etc.
His teacher heard him, thought, and said resignedly: “Take the money. I didn’t think you knowed it.”
GILLESPIE
It blew, it snew, and then by jing, it friz!
Several of the boys attended the hop down on the mountain last week and report a good time generally and ramps in full blast.
A good deal of moving is being done around here. Charles Slaven moved to Durbin and Adam Arbogast moved into the house vacated by him.
A large drove of cattle came in last week for O’Connel’s lumber camp.
DUNMORE
Mrs. Lizzie Carpenter died at her home April 23, aged 44. Mrs. Carpenter leaves 9 children and a husband and a host of friends to mourn their loss. She was an excellent good woman.
Goerge D. Houchin died at his home April 25, aged about 50 years. Mr. Houchin was a good man.
Will Gragg has moved back to his farm and expects to raise a crop of crawfish.
Lots of new goods are coming to town. Swecker is getting in the finest line of burial material in the county.
Somebody was not satisfied till they got the woods on fire and burned up a lot of fence.
It is thought a railroad will be built up Leatherbark this summer.
There will be a phone line run from Travelers Repose to Durbin’s town.
The next thing is to knock the hair off the sheep.
One Irishman Rejoiced in Queen’s Visit
Last week, a friend of mine was sitting in Phoenix Park, when appeared to him a ragged old chap, most gloriously intoxicated.
“God save the Queen, Sor!” said he to my friend.
“Certainly,” was the reply.
“God save Queen Victoria!” reiterated the old fellow.
“By all means. Send her victorious, happy and glorious!” said my friend.
“That’s right, Sor! I wish she came to Dublin every year, every month, every day, Sor! Think of what she’s done for the country; think of all the good she does to people. Why, look at me; here am I, as drunk as hell, and never paid a penny for it!” – London Daily News.
