A MURDEROUS ASSAULT IN MARATHON

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, May 23, 1890.

A MURDEROUS ASSAULT.

Stephen Sholes Beats His Son-in-Law About the Head with an Iron Casting.

(From the Marathon Independent, May 21.)

   It is occasionally the duty of a village newspaper to be obliged to chronicle events which it would rather ignore, and which it would much rather no occasion for such a narration had arisen [sic]. Such is the case this week.

   On the west side of Cortland street in this village, has resided for a number of years, Stephen Sholes and his family. The house in which they resided was the property of Mrs. Sholes, and upon her death, a few years since, without a will, the place became the property of her children, Jesse and Flora, their father having a life interest therein.

   After a time the daughter, Flora, who had grown to be a most estimable young lady, was married to James L. Puff, a successful and industrious business man of this place, the resident agent of the Singer Sewing Machine Co. Since their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Puff have lived in the house and a portion of the time Mr. Sholes has lived with them, and he has roomed there all of the time.

   As is well known to most of our readers Mr. Sholes is a man of convivial habits, and when under the influence of liquor he is apt to be quarrelsome, if crossed. Some of his conduct led to remonstrance by his son-in-law and the rest of the family, and as a result the relations of Mr. Puff and Mr. Sholes have not been the pleasantest imaginable, and as a result of their disagreement Mr. Sholes has frequently threatened Mr. Puff with serious personal injury, but until last Monday morning has never carried his threats into execution.

   As a result of these strained relations Mr. and Mrs. Puff had made arrangements to leave Mr. Sholes in full possession of the house, and had hired rooms in the Meacham block, and expected, this week, to remove there. Mr. Puff had anticipated moving his sewing machine business there on Monday, and his household effects as soon as possible thereafter.

   From all that we can learn Mr. Sholes was about town on Sunday, and was not under the influence of liquor. Sunday night he went home early and renewed his threats, making the remark that there would be a funeral there before long.

   At about five o'clock, on Monday morning he arose, and going to the cook stove, which was his personal property, he removed the griddles, and put them in the oven, and took the middle piece and went out of doors. The noise of the griddles being put into the oven, aroused Mr. Puff, and he arose and dressed and passed into the room where the stove was. He saw Mr. Sholes standing on the front porch, and going to the door asked him what he was about. "D—n you, I'll show you," was the reply.

   Mr. Puff turned to go into the house, and as he did so, Mr. Sholes struck him a hard blow on the back of the head with the end of the iron, cutting a serious gash in the scalp. The force was sufficient to knock Mr. Puff down, over a chair, which he broke. All this time Mr. Sholes was raining blows upon his head, cutting the flesh open at every blow, so that Mr. Puff now has six gashes in the top and side of his head varying in length from 2 to 6 inches.

   After the first blow Mr. Puff was for a short time bewildered, but he soon recovered his senses and grappled with his assailant, and forcing him into a corner he gave Mr. Sholes a punishment which he will not soon forget. Had it not been for the intervention of Mrs. Puff and neighbors who had been attracted by the cries, it is possible that Mr. Puff would have continued to pound him until life was extinct, so angered was he by the cuts upon his head, and the fury of the assault.

   Mr. Sholes went out upon the street and made an ineffectual attempt to secure a warrant for the arrest of Mr. Puff. Drs. Reed and Clark were summoned and dressed Mr. Puff's wounds and made him as comfortable as possible. All day Monday he was flighty and it was feared serious and even fatal results might ensue. Monday night, under the influence of medicine, he slept well, and when we saw him yesterday morning, he appeared to be rational in every particular.

   In our interview with Mr. and Mrs. Puff yesterday morning, the circumstances of the affair were narrated substantially as given above. Mr. Puff expresses the opinion, that from the statements Mr. Sholes had previously made, and from the manner in which the assault was made, that it was the intention of Mr. Sholes to kill him, and that the act had been meditated for several days.

   Mrs. Puff was yet in bed when the assault was made, and as she reached the room her husband had her father down in a corner, and was pounding him. In his frenzy he implored her to bring him something to hit him with, but she prevailed upon him finally to desist from punishing him, and when Mr. and Mrs. Davis arrived soon after Mr. Puff was holding Mr. Sholes but was not striking him.

   Such is substantially the history of this unfortunate affair, in which Mr. and Mrs. Puff have the sympathy of all. For no matter what real or fancied provocation Mr. Sholes may have thought he had, there can be nothing to warrant such a cruel and desperate onslaught as he made.

Civil War Monument fronting Church Street.

Memorial Day Programme.

   Friday, May 30, 1890, Grover Post and Corps with the Camp of Sons of Veterans will meet at the Post rooms at 1 o'clock P. M. sharp, column to move promptly at 1:30 o'clock. The line will form on Main street right resting at County Clerk's building and move in the following order:

   45th Separate Company, N. G. S. N. Y.

   Grover  Corps No. 96 W. R. C.

   Grover Post No. 98. G. A. R.

   Veteran Soldiers.

   James H. Kellogg, Camp No. 44 Sons of Veterans.

   U. S. A. Disabled Veterans in carriages.

   Clergy.

   Village President and Trustees.

   Citizens.

   The line of march will be north on Main to Clinton avenue; east on Clinton avenue and Elm to Church; south on Church to monument where a hollow square will be formed around the monument, and the following exercises will take place:

   Music.

   Prayer, Rev Geo. P. Avery.

   Speech, Comrade C. W. Wiles.

   Music, Grover Post.

   The line will then reform and march south to Port Watson, west to Main and Tompkins, to Rural Cemetery. The decoration of graves of fallen comrades by Grover Post will take place, and people may assemble at the old elm, where the following programme will be observed:

   Music.

   Prayer.

   Speech, Comrade B. T. Wright.

   Benediction, Rev. Ure Mitchell.

BRIEF NOTES OF INTEREST.

   Comrade Geo. W Edgcomb has been elected President of the day and Comrade J. F. Wheeler, Marshal. A most cordial invitation is extended to all our citizens to join with the veterans in their efforts to properly and fittingly observe this sacred day.

   Merchants and business men generally are requested to close their places of business from 1 o'clock to 4 P. M., during the hours of services.

   The trustees of the First Methodist Episcopal church have kindly offered the use of the Sunday school room at their church for use in case of inclement weather.

   The decoration of graves at the Catholic cemetery takes place at 10 o'clock A.M.

   Dr. Taylor delivers address at McGrawville; Comrade A. Sager, at Virgil; Comrade C. W. Wiles, at East Homer; Comrade A. P. Smith, at Spencer.

   Contributions of flowers are solicited and may be left early in the day at the Post rooms, third floor of the County Clerk's building, where a committee will be in waiting to arrange them into bouquets.

   Commander N. G. Harmon of Grover Post is improving slowly in health, but his comrades fear he will not be able to participate with them in memorial services in which case Comrade C. W. Wiles, Senior Vice-commander, will be in charge of the Post.

Continuing the Improvements.

   The rainy weather does not dampen the ardor of those having the work of improving the track and conveniences of the fair grounds. A greater part of the track has received a six inch coating of loam, the stables are being put in order, a fence will be built on the inner as well as the outer edge of the course and at present there is nothing of moment to cause anxiety, either to the officers or public, in relation to the coming meetings being successful and satisfactory to all. Disinterested lovers of the turf state that a good work is being well done.

Attend the 45th Entertainment.

   At 7 P. M., May 30, there will be a grand military street parade to be followed by an entertainment in the Opera House under the management of Major George L. Barber. The proceeds are for the benefit of the 45th Separate Company, whose members are sparing no effort to present an interesting programme of military scenes, war songs and special features in conformity with past events of which the day is justly held commemorative. With tickets at the nominal rate of 25, 35 and 50 cents the boys should be greeted with a liberal patronage.

PAGE FOUR/EDITORIALS.

   The committee of Ways and Means of the U. S. House of Representatives is having anything but a pleasant time. The committee is being pestered with petitions from manufacturers from every state in the union protesting against the passage of the McKinley tariff bill. In endeavoring to please Republican manufacturers particularly, the committee will undoubtedly succeed in pleasing nobody. The rank and file of the party are in hopes the tariff will be reduced all round, while the manufacturers want their especial line of goods protected and the tariff taken off all other lines.

   The decision of the U. S. Supreme Court in the case of Willard Fisk against Cornell University seems to meet with general satisfaction in all quarters where the true inwardness of the case is known. Mr. Fisk's wife, formerly Miss Jennie McGraw, left a will, by the terms of which her husband was to receive $300,000; the balance, nearly $1,500,000, was to go to Cornell University for the purpose of founding a library. Mr. Fisk seemed to think that her personal effects, amounting to something like $10,000, were not intended to go to the University, but as a matter of right belonged to him and he desired to retain them as keepsakes. The trustees, however, headed by Henry W. Sage, the millionaire lumber dealer, were not satisfied to release any part of her effects, so long as they thought they could hold them by the terms of the will. It is also said that Mr. Sage made it very uncomfortable for Mr. Fisk, who was librarian of the University, in the hope that he would leave the institution. Mr. Fisk is reported to have informed Mr. Sage that "he could not manage the library as he could a lumber yard" and at the same time is said to have offered to settle all differences for a small sum. The trustees, however, under the advice of Mr. Sage, were hoggish enough to take the chances of losing a million and a half of dollars, rather than release a trifle. They have lost the $1,500,000 and in consequence are receiving very little sympathy. They are not entitled to a particle.

ONLY COMPETENT PHYSICIANS.

The Forms and Requirements Adopted for the Commitment of Insane People.

   ALBANY, May 19—The State Commission in Lunacy has recently taken important action regarding the qualifications of physicians who act as examiners in lunacy and the commitment of the insane to asylums. Under the statute, the Commissioner has the power to determine the requirements and to prescribe the forms under which an insane person may be deprived of his liberty. Acting in pursuance to this power the Commissioner recently adopted forms and requirements for the commitment of the insane and prescribed a form of certificate of qualifications for examiners in lunacy which will go into effect July 1. These forms and requirements have been so framed, it is believed, as to afford the greatest security again the commitment of any persons to asylums save those who are unquestionably insane.

   In order to secure absolute uniformity and accuracy, the commissioner has decided to furnish all blank certificates which may be required both for originals and copies. The blank medical certificates will be distributed about June 1, to County Clerks, Superintendents of the Poor and the Superintendents of Hospitals or Asylums for the Insane, and the blank certificates of qualifications will on the same date be distributed to all the above officers except Superintendents of the Poor.