The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1901-01-31

UttuOeo w 1ett tp' N~fN''tb ."
Tcstify-.Kelisr's Arms Pulled From Sockets
One of the bills introduced in the
legislature and which attracted great
amount of attention was by Mr.. V0or-
hees. of Philadelphia. 1t H. an amend
mcnt to the present libel law, and IS
of gravesS Importance to every news
paper in the Sta.e. The proposed law
is as follows;
Section /. Be It enacted etc. that
Section l Of an act entitled IAN act
relating to libel and It's punishment"
approved the first day of July, one
thousand eight hundred and ninety
seven. which reads as follows
Section /. Be II enacted, etc, that
In all criminal prosecutions or indict-
ments Tor libel, If the matter charged
as libelous IL, in the opinion of the
Court proper for public information,
the truth may be given in evidence to
the jury" be and the same Is hereby
amended, SO as to read as follows:-
Section |. BE 1t enacted, etc, that
in all criminal prosecutions and indict-
ments for libel IL the matter charged
as libelous is, in the opinion of the
Court proper for public information
and was published witholts malice, the
truth may be given in evidence to the
jury; provided, however, before The
truth may be so given in evidence the
defendant must prove TO 1he satisfac-
ton of the Court that the person affect
ed was informed in writing of the in
tended publication and personally
served with copy thereof, unless he
be fugitive from justice, and given
full opportunity to deny the truth
thereof, and that the denial. If any be
and together with the said matter
charged as libelous."
Section 2. That Section OF said
act, which reads as f0llows:-
Section 3. In any civil action for
libel the plea of justification shall be
accepted as adequate when 1t is plead
ed by the defendant that the publica-
ton is substantially true in every ma
terial respect and is proper for public
information, and If such a plea be es-
tablshed to the satisfaction of the
Court and jury there Shall be no re-
coVery. In no civil action for libel
shall damages be awarded beyond iust
restitution for injury actually sustain
ed, be and the same is hereby amend
ed so as to read as follows:--
Section 3-In any civil action for
libel the plea of justification shall be
accepted as adequate, when 1t is plead
ed by the defendant that the 5ublica-
ton is proper for public information.
Is substantially true in every material
respect, and was published without
malice, and if such plea shall be es-
tablished to the satisfaction of the
court and jury there shall be no re-
coyery. Provided, however, that be-
fore said plea shall be accepted as ade-
quate, and before any evidence shall
be offered to the establishment Thereof.
the defendant must prove TO the salts
faction of the court that the person
affected was informed in writing of the
Intended publication, and personally
served with copy thereof, unless he
be fug.tive from justice and given
full opportunity to deny the truth
thereof, and that the denial, II any be
made was published at the same time
and together with the matter charged
as libelous
Section All acts and parts of acts
incons,S.clt herewith are hereby re-
pealed.
Lola Vernon, aged IL years, the
adopted daughter OF William G. Yer
non, was drowaed in Crum Creek, near
Swarthmore. With q humber of other
young people she had been skating
when the ice gave way. Lynn Merritt
and Foster Harrawer, two boys, tried
to save the girl. She caught hold OF
Merrltt's foot and he was dragged into
the water narrower grasped his COM
panion and succeeded in keeping his
| head above the water until Henry Han
mum and George Gawthorp came to the
rescue with hockey sticks. Both boys
were utterly exhausted when taken out
young Merritt not rcgaining conscious
ness, for some time. The body of the
| drowned girl was recovered
Mrs. Philip Shaffer, of Cherry town
| ship. rushed into a blazing building
and saved her three children and hus-
band from being burned to death at
! tsitll uDHlc. n ramp tADlONeu III u IOOHu
on the first floor, and believing that
she could eXtinguish the blaze, Mrs
Shaffer did not alarm the other mem
| bers of the family who were asleep up
! stairs, but started 10 carry water from
! well and throw it on the flames. The
fire soon gained great headway and
Mrs. Shaffer finally desisted in her eff
forts and fought her way through the
flames to the second floor. where she
lowered the three children to the
ground with bedcords and then drag
ged her husband from the burning
building.
John Mudrany and his brother,
| Stephen, were arraigned before Alder
man Jones at Johnstown on a charge
of having murdered Stephen Szabo, a
clearinghouse keeper at Winbur, by
beating him on the head with q jug.
No sooner had the interpreter told
John that he was charged with MUIR
der, than he confessed the crime. 81
am guilty" he said. "but my brother
did not have anything to do with
| IT,"
Samuel Douglass. of Washington
borough, rather than answer certain
questions propounded by the Grand
Jury preferred to go to jail. He was to
testify iT liquor law violation case,
but. refused positively to answer vital
questions. For his contempt of the