The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-10-05
crimsu.i court


the Commonwealth went 10 show tina
Phoebe Ann harbored girls and men {
| questionable character, and that scenes Z
disorder were frequent at her shack. Z
large number OF her neighbons declare
under oath that Phoebe Ann hears ba
reputation, and is unworthy OF BELLE
The defendant testified that she kept
boarding house. aud that the girls VIII
freqnented her establishment came ther
for the purpose of playing on the orgai
and singing religious songs Phoebe em
braced religion few weeks ago. and sh
appeared 10 be shocked that her eharac
ter should be aspersed; in fact. when tn
counsel for the Commonwealth was ad
dressing the jury, she sat crying a
though she was very much -abuseC
woman. The jury evidently took Phoe
be's view of the situation. or concluded
that the Commonwealth had failed {.
make out its case; leastwise. they return
ed verdict Of mot guilty." and plaeeC
the Gusts on the prosecutor. Mrs. vii
trout was overjoyed when she heard th'
verdict, and fiuttered out of court with
the air of AN empress.
The next case called for trial, Common
wealth rs. Jacob NJ. Seese, charged with
selling liquor without license, attracted
more than the usual amount of attention
given to such cases, for the reason thai
the defendant is one of the best known
and most highly esteemed farmers o.
Paint township. and a gentleman of an
hitherto unimpeaehahle reputation. The
Commonwealth called only three wit
nesses, all Of whom declared they had
gotten either beer or a mixture of wine
and whisky on the property of the de
fendant. 1t appeared from the testimony
that shanty had be n erected on the
property of the defendant in which q
speak keasy" was conducted by unknown
parties, and. it also appeared that liquor
was sold in the defendants cellar. The
defendant declared most positively thai
he had never sold a drop of intoxicating
liquor in his life, and furthermore that be
never kept any in his house. The jury
returned verdict of mot guilty, but de-
fendant to pay the COSTS" The informa-
ton was lodged against Mr.. Seese by Con-
stable Gilbert, of Somerset, who went to
Paint township at the solicitation Of the
Babcock Lumber Company for the pur-
pose of spotting ''speakeasies."
Abram Ober, who was the prosecutor
in the case against DR.. ]. A. Louther, was
placed on trial Thursday morning to an
swer a charge of carrying concealed dead
ly weapons, on information of William S.
Barefoot. Ober, who halls from Indiana
county, it seems. '.got too gayr with his
gun at one of The hotels in Windber. 1t
did not take lcng to dispose of his case.
the jury returning a verdict Of guilty in
manner and form as indicted" FIVE min
When Ober was asked what he had to
say before sentence was pronounced, he
blubbered like a schoolboy and said that
he was mot criminal at heart, and was
not in the habit of carrying gun" He
was given one dollar fine. the costs of
prosecution, aud three months in Jail.
Immediately after sentence was pro-
nounced on Ober. United States officer
tapped him on the shoulder and asked
him to retire 10 the court library, where
he induced him 10 hand over the keys Of
his shanty at Windber. Il is said that
ober is suspected of counterfeiting. The
United States officer spent three or four
days here awaiting the outcome of the
prosecutions against him.
Benjamin Beyers, also OF Windber, was
next brought before the bar to answer
charge Of carrying concealed deadly weap-
ons. From the testimony IL appeared that
Benjamin went cunning for trouble on
two or three occasions. and. as is gener-
ally the case, sOoa found what he was
looking after. The jury, however. seems
10 have thought the prosecutor, William
Barefoot, was also a little previous, and
returned a verdict of mot guilty." and
divided the costs between the parties.
Beyers was short Of change, and was sent
to Jail until be can arrange 10 pay his
shsre or Is discharged under the insolv-
ent laws.
Abrsm Ober. after he had been indicted
for carrying concealed weapons, conclud-
ed that he would even up with the prose-
eutor, William Barefoot, and straightway
lodged an information against him for ag-
gravated assault and battery. He testi-
fed that the defendant, instead of being
barefoot" had jabbed him in the face
with the iron heel of his boot, and that as
a result he suffered for short time with
facial paralysis. Barefoot's plea was self
defense. The jury returned a verdict OF
guilty"
just before adjournment on Thursday
evening the case ofthe Commonwealth vs..
George Zsrfoss, Albert Leydig and Carl
Dupont, charged with malicious mischief
by Officer Shepherd. of the b. & O., was
called, and for moment Il looked as
though the courtroom was the receptacle
for some of the progeny Of THE Old
Woman Who Lived in Shoe" Zerfoss'
given a chair. and Leydlg's toes barely
reached the floor. Neither of the lads is
over eight years of age Dupont is ton
years old. 1t was agreed that the case
should 20 over until becember term, in
the hope that a settlement could be made
out of court
In order that the Curt and the taxpay-
ers OF the county should not forget that
Windber has place on the map. the case
of the Commonwealth VS.. Charles John
son, a coal black s.eOon," was next called.
It seems that Mr.. "Johnsing' cut him
self loose on the streets of Windber one
night 10 = ugust last. and before he wound
up his sprce he slashed 'gem'an'' Of
his own colo- with ''razzer.' The de-
fendant plead guilty to a charge of assault
and battery, and was given four months
in Jail in addition to the costs and fine
of five dollars.
Henry A. Diveley, Of Allegheny town
ship. accused of larceny, was acquitted
by direction of the Court, the Common
wealth having failed 10 make out its case.
Diveley was charged with stealing hay
rack aud carrier.
Friday morning Pat Morgan and Harry
Zerfoss. who broke Jail and were recap
tured four weeks ago, were brought be-
fore Judge Longenecker, when both en-
tered plea OF guilty 10 a charge of Jail