Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1895-09-09

father died and 1 had to go to work to
maintain largo family. l was first ap-
prcnticcd to molder, but aftervard went
to work in tobacco factory, and it was in
the tobacco business that made my first
| money. Early in the sixties a new tariff
bill passed congress, increasing the tax on
tobacco. There was great rush to have
largo quantities of tobacco made up before
tho higher rates went into effect. A young
man, friend of mine and foreman i'll the
factory, received an offer to take charge of
new factory which had been opened to
take advantage of the opportunity offered
for large profits on manufactured tobacco
My friend was to keep things running day
and night until the new law went into
operation, for which he was offered sal
ary and part of the profits 1t was a busy
time in the tobacco business.
Il knew one man who made $50, 600 on
n single contract. He had undertaken to
furnish certain number of boxes of to-
bacco, and fixed his price so that if he only
finished half the number by the time the
old tariff rate expired he could afford to
pay the increased tax on the other half out
OF his profits, but luckily for him the gov
ernment delayed putting the new tariff
law into effect for 30 days, and he made an
This was II piece of luck, and it frequently
happens that people who arc ip hurry to
make big profits pay more in the end than
if they had waited, rs in the case of the
whisky people, who were badly bitten by
tho recent tariff. The whisky people drew
out large quantities of spirits, the market
was ovcrstockcd notes became due and
they lost money finally. They would have
been much better oft if they had allowed
the whisky to stay in bond and paid the go
cents extra tax to the government.
"Wcll, to return to the Sixties" contin-
ucd Mr.. Sorg. "My friend kept his fac
tory running day and night, and when it
was finally closed after the new law went
into operation the owners compromised
with him for SO, 900 as his share of the
profit. He and then started in business
for ourselves on that capital. Tho business
was necessarily small at first, and after
buying machinery we had just enough
money left to buy one hogShcad of tobacco.
We made that up, and then had to shut
down the factory until we could sell it,
and as the market was overstockcd it was
some time before we could dispose of it.
| With the returns of our sale we bought an
other lot of tobacco, made that up and
again shut down until We could sell our
[ StOCh. NcllICr VI us WIS kllOWn III Inb
commercial world; consequently we could
| get no credit and were Obliged to work
along slowly Aftcra time business picked
up, and we became better known, but in
two years my friend became tired of the
| business, and bought out his interest.
hung on to the business, moving to Mid
dleburg about this time, and my factory
has been growing ever since, until at the
present time l employ over 1000 hands,
| My taxes to the government in single
year have amounted to as high as ST. 000,-
| 900. l calculate this rs part of my invest
mcnt, and got it back from the consum-
ers. -
Congressman Cooper's First Legal Victory.
A feud between town boys and country
boys gave Congressman Cooper of Indiana
tho opportunity to win his legal spurs.
| The first case of Importance j ever tried
said the congressman, "and one which
| gave me reputation throughout the state,
was in defense of Alfred Barren, the son
/ of q widowed mother whose husband had
/ been killed at the battle of Shiloh He
was country boy, and one day there was
to be some sort of u country festival. The
| town boys sent down word that they were
coming down to run things their own way.
Among the town boys was the son of an
cX-county judge who had recently died
They came down looking for trouble Bar
ren was whiting IL stick when the town
boys set on him, teasing and badgcring
him, and finally tho ox- judges son reached
out to hit him. Barren, with a quick
movement, pushed his knife into the boy,
and he fell with II cry. He was i'll for some
time and finally died from malpractice, l
believe, for the physician, instead of leav-
ing an opening for the pus of the wound
to escape, allowed the lips of the wound to
close up, and poritonitis set in, which re-
suited in the death of the boy. The country
lad was put ON trial for murder and de-
Tended him. In conducting my case |
made the most of tho facts that the town
boys had come looking for mischief and
that the mother was widow and the fa-
thCr had died in the service of his country.
| offered the plea of self defense and ar
gued that Barren had had no intention of
inilicting n dangerous or fatal wound.
The judge, however, apparently thought it
was his duty to stand by the son of his
predecessor, and | thought went out of
his way to insure conviction of Barren. He
gave no less than 125 charges to tho jury
and put them in such way that the jury
could not do otherwise than convict. Upon
failure of acquittal in the lower court l
appealed the case on the ground of prciu-
dice, as well as upon the fact that the
judge had not taken into consideration the
point of intent to kill The result was ac.
quittal for my client and tho reprimand OF
the judge" WALTER WELLMAN.
Tree Climbing Fish of India.
in 81 of n1in ,i,Nfr Hcl