Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-09-03

At Farwell James Comas was struck
by bursting emery wheel and fatally
injured, piece about two inches long
penetrating the brain.
An epidemic of typhoid fever prevails at
Downigton. Sanilac County, and the State
Board of Health has sent n representa-
tive there to make an investigation.
|. Walter Cassell, a 14-year-old Battle
Greek boy, was accidentally shot by Hqr-
ley Warner with dobert rifle, the ball
passing through the right lung, and the
boy may die.
SANDY" Scott, who recently served a
State prison term for burning the Armada
acpot, was. arrested in New Haven last
week for burEIarizing the house. of Harry
Castle. New Haven people were terror
ixed by SANDY" D. ss 4t1%
The, Saginaw County faiEAto be held
Sept. 10 to 10 inclusive, is expected to
eclipse all previous exhibitions of the So
ciety. The sum Of 81, 800 has been hung
up in the speed department and some fine
races are expected. Ttf 'lid
Muskegon County celery growers are
losing thousands of dollars at present on
account Of rot in their plants. Nearly all
the celery in the county Is afflicted in this
way, and all that Is touched by the blight
has to be cut out and thrown away.
Twenty-Five Whitehall cows had the
temerity to stray across the river to Man-
tague, and were soon arrested for the lar
ceny of lawn grass. Whitehall friends
bailed them out of 4h@ pound, but the
entente cordiale between the twin villages
is still sadly disturbed.
| Mrs. Jane Randall. of Elsie, received
81, 400 from a relatives estate some time
ago and, distrusting banks, she kept the
money in her house. While she was with
her son in the fields the money was
stolen. Albert Fuller and Fred Randall,
two young men, disappeared. They went
to Ashley, hired rig and rode to Ithaca
and then to Ovid. Fuller returned alone
and was arrested. He says Randall had
plenty. of money and gave him several
dollars after buying complete outfits Of
clothing for both, At Ovid Randall took
the ID. & NJ. train for the west, saying
that he. would not return home. Officers
are on his trail.
A. +. Crell. of Ionia. has in successful
operation an electric mail car, so con-
structed as to take up and deliver pouch
Mt each station automatically. The exhi-
bitiOn was made on track 1000 feet long,
with number of stations so arranged as
{. show the operations of the car The
inventor claims that with n properly
equipped road mail can be conveyed from
New York City to Chicago i'm six hours,
taking on and putting off mail at all prin.
cipal cities enroute. Mr.. Crell has spenG
the greater part of five years on his in
yentiOn. and the trial trip was witnessed
by "A number of electrical experts and
| other persons interested in the transmit
ting of the United States mail.
Judge Person, Of the Ingham Circuit
Court, has decided that the State has au-
thority to contract the services of its
"auvicts, although it is intimated that
under the present laws it has no power to
make such contracts for specified term
of years. In 1894 the State entered into
contract with the Derby Cycle Company
Of Chicago for the services of seventy-five
convicts for n period of five years. The
National Metal Polishers' Union com
planned to the Attorney General. who
commenced suit asking to have the con-
tract declared illegal on the ground that
the prison board had no right TO contract
the services of convicts where they would
enter into competition with free labor,
holding that it was the intent of the Leg
slature that such contracts should not
he made. Neither of the parties to the con-
tract asked for the Intervention of the
Attorney General. whose appearance iii
the case was solely upon the grounds
stated above. In sustaining the demurrer
filed to the Attorney Generals bill, Judge
Person declares that the contract is work
ing no injury to the public, although the
Court strongly intimates that the contract
is void because 1t fixes time limit. Judge
Person is Of the opinion that the board
has power to make contracts, but that it
has no power to contract for the future.
This question. however, Is not squarely
passed upon for the rea son that the Attor-
ney General did not make it portion of
his case.
About three months ago young man
who gave his name as Henry Fockler
came to the residence Of Hiram Coleman,
well known farmer of Bedford. near
Battle Greek, and asked for work as a
farm hand. He was hired and remained
with Coleman for two months, working
faithfully. and was a good hand. Four
weeks ago FOckler went to Battle Creek
ond represented that he owned section
that he had sold off the pine on the same
for 1000. He wanted to invest the
money in Battle Greek property. He
made n bargain for the George Perry
farm i'm Battle Greek Township. 23J acres,
for $1,000 but did not pay for it. In the
meantime he got trusted all over the city.
lie went out on the farm and brought in
all the fruit and sold it, He married
Bedford girl and went to Lansing. There
he bought an elegant piano and succeeded
in having ii shipped to Battle Greek with
out paying u cent upon it. He also bought
$40 worth of furniture, but the firm did
not ship it until they wrote for Fockler's
financial standing. as he did not pay for
the furniture. lie jumped his hotel bill at
Lansing and went over to Shaftsburg with
his wife and there bargained for u $4,000
mill property and two farms. He then
hired livcryman to drive him for fifty
miles over south Of Chelsea and left him
there with his wife. He even stood off the
liveryman for his pay. A clothing dealer
in Battle Greek has issued n warrant. for
his arrest for getting suit of clothes
under false pretense. and an officer is now
a fter him. Fockler is an ignorant fellow,
who cannot read or write. and is regular
farm hand in appearance, his hands being
hard and calloused and his face sun
burned; but he has a faculty Of worming
into the confidence of people. sir F.
]. w. Bills, of Adrian, one of the Dew