Evening star., 1900-05-28
HAGERSTOWN NEWS GRlST
SPECIAL AGENT OF p. O. DEPART
MENT MAKES INSPECTION.
Mountain Hermits Home Burns-Pro-
ing Case-Reunion of Lutherans.



HAGERSTOWN, Md. May p. 1900.
Special Agent Smith of the internal reve-
nue. department at Washington has been
here inspecting documents to ascertain If
they are stamped. He caused much agita-
ton among the stage drivers and mail car
riers by compelling them to make oath as
to about how many packages they have
hauled since July. 1898, when the revenue
law went into effect. The stage drivers
were under the impression that the law did
not apply to them. They will be held re-
sponsible by the government for an amount
equal to one cent on every package car
ried.
The log house and home of William Kai-
ser, the old mountain hermit, who lives near
Casey's Knob, this county. a wild and iso-
lated spot where he resided alone for many
years, was destroyed by fire on Tuesday
together with the furniture harness and
clothing stored there. The old man had
$3.50 in paper money and $50 in gold Sc
or burned. 1t is thought that the house
was robbed and then set on fire. but there
IS no clue to bear out the theory. Kaiser,
who is seventy-five years old. fell from
the roof of the building during the fire.
breaking an arm and a leg and receiving
other serious injuries. which. it is feared,
will prove fatal. Being disabled and help
less to fight the fire he crawed some dis
his home. He was found by persons who
were attracted to the scene and removed
to the house of a neighbor about a mile
away and received surgical attention.
The prohibitiOnists of Washington county.
in convention held here reatfirmed the old
state and national prohibition platforms and
named the delegates to the state convention
to be held in Baltimore. May 81, and also
Hickman, B. w. T. Phreaner, L. NJ. Wat
kins, S. l.. v. Young. D. H. Hyard, D. Mel
vim Long, Jacob Eckstine. John Martin, AL
bert Dancer, J. D. Stotlemeyer. Rev. ]. NJ.
killian and Rev. S. H. DeitZel
Huber Hoffman. a Union veteran. ar
rested for counterfeiting at Union Mills.
near Hancock. this county, has been con-
victed of the charge upon the testimony of
John Mann. a farmer, who testified that
Hoffman made s1.20 in counterfeit nickels
in his presence, and rendered them in pay
ment Of a board bill. Hoffman. in his own
defense. claimed that he had been pros
pecting for coal and iron in the mountains
when he found the kit of tools, which he had
intended to turn over to the authorities and
that he had made the coin at Mann's house
"only for fun" He has not been sentenced
as yet.
There is a fight on between the mer-
chants of Williamsport and the Hagerstown
Trolley Company over the payment of the
war tax, whether 1t shall be by the con-
signor or the consignee of shipments. The
merchants have decided to submit the mat
ter to the department at Washington for a
decision.
Extensive preparations are being made for
the annual reunion of the Lutherans of the
District of Columbia. Maryland and Penn
sylvania. 1t will be held at Pen-Mar on
July &C. One Of the features will be the
music by choir of many voices.
The Blue Mountain Iron and Steel Com
pany now has a large force of men at
work at Catoctin furnace. which had been
out of operation for number Of years. The
furnace is in blast and the work of develop
ing the mines is progressing.
Willamsport fishermen will apply to the
United States fish commission to have young
shad placed in the Potomac river at that
place. 1t is thought that the stream Is as
well adapted to the propagation Of shad as
any other kind Of fish.
Richard CLANCY. aged thirty-eight years,
married a respected resident of this city.
while sitting in the yard conversng with
a friend suddenly fell over unconscious and
died before a physician could reach him.
John Whistler Of near Carlisle. started
on a bicycle ride with a companion. He
had not gone far when he fell over and
expired instantly. He was sixty years old.