The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-06-06
THIS is QUITE LIKE
"A TEMPEST IN A TEAPOT"
oVERSEERs OF POOR OF sTERL-
ING TOWNSHIP HAVE DONE
THEIR DUTY.
Hearing in Chambers Wednesday
Afternoon When Edwards With
draws Petition for Mandamus and
Difficulty is Settled.


draws Petition for Mandamus and
Difficulty is Settled.
Last week a rule was granted on
Henry Foster and j. NJ. .Catterson,
overseers of the poor of Sterling
township, to show cause why a man
dafnus should not be issued for Chas.
Edwards, a resident of that town
ship. The rule was argued before
Judge Searle in Chambers on We'd
nesday afternoon, June 4. Kimble
& Hanlan represented the overseers
of Sterling and M. e. Simons repre-
sented those of Dreher township.
At the hearing Wednesday after
noon Charles B. Edwards appeared
and withdrew his petition for a
mandamus on the grounds that he
had never asked for help of any
kind from the poor directors and had
never made application for an order
of relief. Judge Searle denied the
application for mandamus and
stated that the question of costs
be postponed for the time being.
The petition which was filed in the
prothonotary' office set forth that
Charles B. Edwards was a resident
of Sterling township and that his
circumstances were such that it was
necessary that he receive aid from
the township for his wife and six
children. On May 16, the petition
sets forth, he went before Squire
e. B. Hollister and l.. P. Pelton,
Justices of the Peace for Salem town
ship, and made complaint that he
was unable to provide for his fam
lily. He was granted an order of re-
lief, which, when served on the
Of
evaded. Mr.. Edwards admitted sign
ing the petition but denied all knowl-
edge of its contents. He said that
he had never knowingly asked for
relief.
On June 4th an answer to the pc
tition was filed by Kimble & Hanlan,
attorneys for the poor directors of
Sterling township, in which they
stated that on May 5th Mr. Ed
wards had lived in Dreher township
and that he was not in destitute cir
cumstances at that time, and had
steady employment, earning suffi-
cient money for the support of his
family. An order of removal was
issued by w. L. Harvey, justice of
the peace of Lehigh township, di-
recting the removal of Mr.. Edwards
to Sterling township. There was no
necessity for the removal of Edwards
against his will, the answer goes on
to state, and when he arrived in
Sterling the overseers of that town
ship went to Edwards Immediately
and were informed that he did not
ask relief and did not want to be put
on the town. Mr.. Edwards asked
permission to withdraw the petition
for mandamus, saying that the over
seers of Sterling have fully perform
ed their duty. The poor directors of
Dreher had the poor directors of
Sterling arrested, but this was also
dismissed by Judge Searle.
Mr.. Edwards stated that the only
time he had accepted help from the
poor directors was when he injured
his hand in a saw mill about four
years ago. At that time they vol
unteered little contribution for his
immediate relief.
Mr.. Edwards owns about one hun
dred acres of land lying partly in
Dreher and Sterling townships. His |
home burned some time ago and
since then has been unable to erect |
a new home.
An appeal from the decree of JUS
tlce Harvey will be heard during the
June term of court.