The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1893-05-24
CRIMINAL COURT.
z. II. Berkley Appointed Foreman
Of the Grand Jury-An Unusual
Lengthy Criminal Idst-Whoie-
sale Liquor Licenses Granted

Miller, Supervisors Of Jefferson township
neglecting index boards.
Same vs.. E. 6. Rayman. F. & 3.
same vs.. Albert Murphy, T. & B.
Up to noon Tuesday the following cases
bad been tried.
Commonwealth " VIM. Moore, A. & B.
with intent to kill-verdiet, guilty Of A. & B.
same vs.. Edward Stuff, feloneous assault
verdict, not guilty on ground Of insanity.
same vs.. Thomas L. Brown, burglary
verdict, guilty Of larceny.
Same vs.. Peter Fisher, n & B. aud carry
ing concealed weapons-verdict not guilty
and the prosecutor and defendant each to
pay half the costs.
A petition for Incorporation OF the town
OF Somerfeld, in Addison township, into a
borough was presented to the court and will
be placed before the grand jury later in the
week.
IA. Kohler, who was elected Constable
Of the borough Of Jennertown at the late
spring election, refused 10 qualify. The
court viii appoint.
There are seventy-four cases on the crimi-
nal calender. The entire week viii be occu-
pied in the trial Of these cases.
The grand jury returned true bill" in
the indictment against Rev. r H. Singer.
WHOLESALE LIQUOR LICENSES.
License to sell liquor al wholesale. as dis
tiilers. was granted to John n Topper, OF
New Baltimore; S. X Neizler of Upper
Turkeyfoot township. Francis NJ Baer, of
Larimer township. The applications OF
Eenry H Stahl and John T. Beachley, OF
Summit township, were held over.
sPEIAL TERN PRocEEDINSs.
A case that excited considerable interest
was that Of A. J. Co!born vs.. Somerset coun-
ty.
In 1873 an Act Of Assembly was passed
aboiishing the State tax on horses and cattle
TO take effect in 1874 The taxing authori-
ties continued to collect the tax notwith-
standing the repeal Of the law until 1878 or
~. when the several counties discovered the
mistake and collected the amounts from the
Stale that had been enormously paid. In 81
the commissioners Of this county employed
Mr. Colbon 70 recover from the State the
amount It had enormously paid. Mr. Col
born went to work on the matter and on
April 20. Iss7, procured a credit for the coun-
ty Of S50i279, for the years rs, 20 and -,
of which he claimed per cent, theamount
the county had agreed to pay him. The
commissioners declined to pay Mr.. Colborn's
claim and he secured Judgment for the
amount from a Justice of the Peace when
the commissioners appealed the matter to
arbi,rators. The arbitrstors three lawyers
found in Mr. Coloorn's favor, but the com
missioners then appealed the matter to
Court. A jury was called to hear the case.
After argument to the Court on the legal
points involved Judge Longenecker directed
the jury TO return a verdict in favor of the
plaintiff for SS45.52, the amount ofhis claim
with interest. The..iefsuse set up was that Mr..
ColboTa being a member Of the legislature
at the time the contract was entered into it
was agains. public policy to pay him for la
Dor performed in behalf Of the county.
Similar actions were brought by lawyers
in other COUNTIES Of the Commonwealth,
some Of whom recovered as high as 60 per
cent. of the amount collected through their
efforts.
srOOEs' MOI LIABLE F0R DAMAGES.
The jury called to decide the case Of Miss
Josie shafer rs. George Elhman and John
Vogel practically decided By their verdict
that there IS No redress from ghosts By civil
procedure IN this commonwealth.
Miss shafer, who is resident Of Somerset
borough, was engaged al teaching school in
township during the fall of lss9
The defendants were also teaching schools
in the same township. Miss Shafer boarded
in the village Of Johnsburg where stories
were current regarding two ghosts, the one
that Of = woman who had met death by
means Of poison, and the Other that of her
husband who had cut his throat over her
grave, appearing in the village grave yard on
certain nights where they cut up all sorts Of
'apers among the headstoaes. The defend
ants decided 10 convince Mss Shaier that
The stories were not myths aud TO this end,
they gave her and a girl friend practical
Illustration. 1t 50 happened that Miss
Shaier and her friend were compelled to pass
he grave yard one evening shortly after
dark in order 10 reach their boarding house,
and when they approached it two figures,
sr,r l.
sheets suddenly appeared among the head
stones and came towards them The plain
al testified thar she was so badly frightened
By the ghosts that she became unconscious
Dt her Surroundings The young ladies
managed % get to their boarding house some
line afterwards. Two or three days follow
ng Miss Shaie- was taken violently III and
Is was several weeks before her physician
would permit her friends to remove her to
he home Of her grandfather in Somerset
she was compelled TO abandon teaching and
alleges that her health was permanently in
ured 5y reason Of the shock She received. a
number OF witnesses were called to corrobo-
ate the statements of the plaintiff
The defendants did not deny that they
lad enacted the character OF "spooks" for
he purpose Of soaring the young ladies' on
he occasion mentioned, but they insisted
nat Miss Shafer's IN health was due
o other causes and not to the fright they
lad been the means Of giving her. Several
witnesses testified that the plaintiff did not
how any evidence Of flight following the
Of the ghosts in the cemetery,
'Gt that she referred to the occurrence in a
oking manner.
The trial ofthe case consumed the time Of
he Court paris Of Wednesday. Thursday and
Friday, and vas ably conducted on both
ides. The verdict was for the defendants
cssIs DISPOSED or AND ooNnSUED.
In the case OF Frank Murray W J. L. |
5erkey for $3.50 balance due on account
Or labor done for the defendant, the jury
eturnod a verdict Tor the plaintiff for SS7. -.
In the case Of Albert Lohr vs.. Pearson
-ohr for SIS 90 for labor done by the plain
iHs son for the defendant, the Jury return
q a verdict for the defendant.
Alfred and Barney Wilmolh VS.. John
seller and Alfred Miller settled their tres
,ass suits.
Charles Riggs, who has been confined in
ail for the past six weeks on charge Of 1
alse preiense was permitted to settle the
sse upon payment OF costs. as was Lewis
'enrod charged with disturbing a religious
meeting.