The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1898-03-31
Behind Prison Bars.
One Of 0hamokin,s LaWless
Gang behind Prison Bars.

4 SSA4oAA = AOSAA A$OA
Erpects Judge Mcclure to Sentence
HIM and Wishes He Would
Come Soon to DO II.
Martin LAwless, of Shamokin,
was put into Jail here ON Saturday
afternoon on achargeof house break
ing and attempting to rob. The
warrant was sworn out by Amos
Focht of Chapman township before
kohler Peck, J. p. 1t appears that
Lawless and two others broke into
Amos Focht's residence near Mahon-
tongo on Friday night. The family
was aroused and Amos and his son
Harry came down stairs. Harry
fired, but the aim was toohigh. The
load went into a mirror above Law
less head. 1t was terrible shot
and bored Il large hole through the
wall. Lwless had an axe and at
tempted to down the two Fochts.
One of the Fochts turned his gun
around and hit I.awless across the
forehead with the butt end of the
gun. Lawless dropped to the floor
unconscious and remained nncon-
sciOus until noon on Saturday. The
other two escaped.
The PRISONER
was brought here Oh Saturday after
noon. Heis 20 years Of age and is
ut home in a Jail or penitentiary.
He has a father, mother and several
brothers residing in Shamokin. John
Lawless is the fathers name and is
an old man severely crippled with
rheumatism. Only one OF John law
less sons works regularly. He is
employed in the coal mines. The
whole family has Il badreputationand
doubtless some of Martin Lawless'
brothers were the others who COM
posed the party, but Lawless says
he was the only one. Patrick Law
less, says our informant, at Shamo-
kin, is bad case too.
On Monday, Posi- Reportercall-
ed at the Jail and found Martin
IAw!ess taking it easy in his cell
His head was tied mp with bandages
and occasionally he bathed it with
water. He told the reporter that
he had been arrested about two year,
ago for robbing u wealthy man by
the name of Dietrick in Shamokin
There were six of them, but he was
the only one caught. They secured
$2S which was used for a spree
He was sentenced to | year and I
months in the Sunbury Jail and wa.
released from there only ashort time
ago. He has been in the jailseveral
times since, but only for drunks
At Shamokin and Sunbury, he j.
said to have the right name, ant
we are informed from Shamokin that
the bigger the sentence he gets from
Judge Mcclure, the better the people
over there will be satisfied,
j LaWless asked the reporter wher
the court would convene. Upor
being informed that his case could
not come up for trial before June
he asked, "Couldn't l get before the
Judge sooner andget my sentence?
"Then you expect a sentence~ was
asked. eyes, 1 can't get out Of
that" replied lawless.
The REASON.
Considerable guessing is being
done to arrive at the motive that in
spired IAwless and his gang to enter
F'ocht's house, The opinion in the
neighborhood prevails that as Harry
Fochti is reforming, the bandits fear
ed doubtless that Harry may have
had q secret Of theirs andto prevent
him from revealing it, they de-
termined to seal his lips forever by
ending his life. This may not be
true, but it is the prevailing theory
inthe neighbahood. If however,
Harry had net aimed quite 80 high,
IAwless' body would have bsensev-
cred IN twain and would now be
lying bsnsalh thelsod. US.