The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-04-20

SHOCKING AFFAIR IN ALTooNA.-A
Temperance Lecture Mot Shou1d be Needed -
The Holiidavsburg Standard acknow lodges
itself mainly indebted to the Sunday edition
of the Altoona GioJe for the following facts
anu as we have copied them with a few
changes from the former paper, it is right
and proper that we should do a credit bust
ness all round. Here is the story and sad
and shoeking one il is indeed;
About eleven o'clock on Saturday morning a
resident OF Altoona, named John Courtney,
was walking along Eleventh avenue, in the
ncighborhood of Dimes Sinks meat market
when he was suddenly seized by an unknown
man, who began to shower upon him blows
from a knife. Courtney was thoroughly taken
by surprise and before he could break loose
had received five ugly and painful, though not
. in the left thigh.
Passing on down the avenue the unknown
manac soon came in contact with a party Of
gentleman, and rs he brandished his knife an d
Resticulated in a remarkably fierce manner,
a1ey for one of them, Gnu MIR. T James G. Knepp p in
: attempting To turn he fell over a store box,
and before he could recover himself the fatal
knife had been plunged into ais bowels. MIR.
kncpp hnaiiy managed to get on his feet and
ran, the assassin following him for some dis
tanc,. Tho latter soon returned, however to
the Young America corner, where he was sum-
monvd IT, surrender by one Chas Wbitte, or
Maggie. His reply was TO rush at Nagle with his
: blood Stained weapon in his hand. Nagle ran.
firing revolver at intervals, tie insane man
stii foliowing About this time q Gorge Metz hit
/ him on the head with II stone. producing no APP
parent effect, and soon after James O'Nell
From thence he was conveyed to the Iock-up,
where bis wounds were properly dressed by
Dr w after Bell. IhtSc consists Ol two or three
gashes on the head, one pistol shot in the rig hit
breast. another in the neck, and badly bruised
Investigation disclosed the fact that the man
was James HarkfnS, miner, formerly en-
SOBER he was very quiet, decent citizen that
some three weeks AFRO he had Quarreed with
his his "chum and had qnit work, and tha, Tor the
two weeks Immediately preceding he had been
a drunken bout. He made his appearan ce
aeran ne n Brsnt on ppday where ne e. regis
/ in advance. Some time during the nis hl he
sssaPed from h' RIO, by the sa windo
I from thence to the ground. On Saturday morn
ing he attended Mass at ST. Johns (Catholic)
/ church, aud after tho services were over at
! tempted to commit suicide by cutting his throat
with razor. This he was prevented from do
/ ing 10y Father Caldwell, to whom he gave the
razor well prayer book and photograph
! OF his sister, declaring that he would be dead
man before night During the day he wan
dercd about town, the victim OF deiirium the
last place which he visited previous to his mur-
der1us conduct being a barber shop, where he
was shaved, the proprietor OF the shop advis-
ing him to lay his grievances before the Mayor.
At this writing Hdrkins is conscious and has
! fair prospect OF recovery. OF course he know I.
nothing Of the blood that is on his hands.
/ Courtney is not dangerously wounded and un-
less something extraordinary should Intervene
will soon he restored 10 health. Mr.. knepp is
! certainly fatally wounded and will proba bly,
be dead by the time this article is written.
We might add II column or comment. All
the terri ble business. A man who has pleas
ant look and il geutlcman when sober is trans
( formed into "A demon under the influence OF
this emissary from hell. and in the grasp OF de-
! lirum he takes Tho life OF a man W who never did
him any harm. whose face he never saw before,
aud whose injury would be farthest from his
thoughts when sober. 1t is all OF piece.
Whiskey is the devils own child and it does its
parent work. The man or men who furn ID
! liquor to make Harkins mad must have pleas
ant reflections.
! Suce the above was put in type we learn
| that there is every prospect that Harkins
and his victims will all recover, and that the
terribl e tragedy is not to have so sad an
/ ending as there was every reason to antici-
/ pate. Harkins is now in the Holiday ysburg
jail where he will in all probability remain,
/ if his life is spared, sntil called upon TO
! answer for the fearful crime which there is
| no reason to believe lie would have ever
/ committed had he been in his right mind.
So, much, alas for his inordinate love for
| strong drink.