AN INVALID ROBBED AND NEW YORK STATE MILK QUESTION

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, January 24, 1896.

AN INVALID ROBBED.

WOMAN GAGGED AND ROBBED.

Mrs. Twitchell of Binghamton Chloroformed—Found by a Neighbor.

   BINGHAMTON, Jan. 19.—A peculiar case in which a woman was chloroformed, gagged and robbed in this city last week, has just come to light. Mrs. Lavina Bell Twitchell, an invalid twenty-four years of age, was the victim.

   About the first of the year Mrs. Twitchell became aware that she was under the surveillance of an unknown man and woman. On several occasions she discovered the man prying around her premises and seeking to obtain an entrance to her house. The man made inquiries about her from her neighbors and seemed well acquainted with the family history.

   The annoyances continued until Tuesday night. About five o'clock that evening a strange woman entered Mrs. Twitchell's room and demanded the proofs of her parents' marriage. Mrs. Twitchell being ill in bed and alone could offer no resistance to the woman who searched the room and found the papers in a trunk.

   Mrs. Twitchell, nerved by excitement, made an attempt to stop the woman, who easily overcame her feeble resistance and pressed a napkin saturated with chloroform to her nostrils. An hour later a neighbor discovered Mrs. Twitchell lying on the floor with her hands bound behind her, gagged with a napkin. Her night robe was blood stained and her face and hair were wet with blood. This is the story told by Mrs. Twitchell after she gained consciousness.

   It is believed the unknown woman is the second wife of Mrs. Twitchell's father, Harlow Quick, who left this city twenty years ago to escape arrest. He has died since and left considerable property.

FARM HOUSE BURNED.

ORIGIN OF THE FIRE UNKNOWN.

The House on the Wm. Yager Farm Burned with Nearly all its Contents—Loss $2,200. Insured for $1, 275.

   The house on the Wm. Yager farm, about 2 1/2 miles east of Solon, and which has been occupied for the past six years by Mr. Yager's son-in-law, Mr. D. S. Brown, was discovered to be on fire at about 10 o'clock last Monday evening. The family retired at 9 o'clock and an hour later the hired man. Frank Dreseley, who slept in a room over the kitchen, was aroused by the smell of smoke and he so informed Mr. Brown. A little fire was discovered and this they soon extinguished. An investigation disclosed the fact that all the other rooms on second floor were on fire and it was plain that the building must go. Soon the neighbors began to arrive and every effort was made to save some of the furniture on the first floor.

   John, the fourteen-year-old son of Mr. Brown who slept in one of the rooms of the second floor was not awakened by the first alarm, but the smoke in his room finally aroused him and he attempted to go down stairs but the smoke drove him back into the room. He opened the window and crawled out on the roof of a piazza with nothing on but his night clothes and jumped to the ground. His father who had meantime forced his way up stairs opened the door of the room and seeing John crawling out of the window he started to retrace his steps, but was nearly suffocated with smoke before he reached the outside.

   Most of the furniture on the first floor was taken out but the clothing except such scanty apparel as the family had on when they left the bulling was destroyed.

   The house was a one story and a half building and was a good substantial farm house, handsomely furnished throughout. About 40 cords of seasoned wood was in the rear part, 200 bushels of potatoes and 100 bushels of apples besides other supplies for the winter were stored in the cellar. The house was insured for $800, the furniture including the piano for $475. Mr. Brown estimates his loss over and above insurance at $1,000. The policies were in the Five County Cooperative Fire Insurance Company.

   It is not known how the fire originated. A hot fire had been in the kitchen stove during the afternoon but it was allowed to go out at 6 o'clock. The fire started in the room over the kitchen. The hired man lost two suits of clothes and some small change that had been left in the pockets.

   Mr. Brown's family consists of himself and wife, twin daughters fifteen years old, a son fourteen years of age and a three months old baby. They were invited to accept the hospitality of their neighbor, Mr. Frank H. Pritchard and the invitation was accepted.

THE MILK QUESTION.

   EDITOR:—In view of the fact that there has been exerted a determined effort from certain quarters to bring into disrepute and unpopularity that portion of our state law which now governs the sale of milk in this state, I have thought it just and fair that, if that effort has resulted in creating a misapprehension, the misapprehension should be corrected at once. The law was enacted simply to protect the public health and was not enacted until wholesale abuse had made its existence an absolute necessity.

   After a careful consultation with competent chemists and men with a practical knowledge of the subject a standard was established requiring 3 per cent of fats and 12 per cent solids. A person disposing of milk below this standard is guilty of an offense against the law of the state. The law was not enacted to protect the agricultural portion of our state particularly, but was put in operation that some protection and security might be afforded the inhabitants of cities and towns, such as our own village.

   It can be readily seen that if no law existed requiring a certain standard the adulteration of milk might be committed with almost no possible chance of detection and as a result the public health would be constantly suffering. The law specifies that if milk is found to be below the standard the prosecution need not prove criminal intent.

   The courts of the state have held that this is perfectly just as well as constitutional. It was found by the legislature that it would be practically impossible to secure a conviction if it was necessary to prove criminal intent, so in order to make the law operative and of some effect the clause in reference to intent was incorporated in the law. This sums up in a nutshell the purpose and extent of the so called "milk law."

   The affidavits appended hereto will illustrate how milk may be tampered with and yet not fall below the standard, showing also that the state authorities made the standard as low as possible and yet protect the public health.

   The law is a safeguard for residents of such places as Cortland, in fact for all buyers of milk. It was made a law because the people demanded it and it is safe to say that it will remain a law. The irresponsible and uncalled for attacks made upon it by notoriety seeking individuals will only serve to make its virtue more prominent.

HERE AND THERE.

   Town meetings, February 18.

   Brogden has a new advertisement in another column.

   Burgess, the clothier, has a new advertisement on our last page.

   Ash Wednesday falls on February 19, and Easter will occur April 2nd.

   Town meeting ballots printed on short notice at the DEMOCRAT job rooms.

   Messrs. Case, Ruggles & Bristol have a new advertisement on our fourth page.  

   Edwin Robbins has purchased the stock of tobacco formerly owned by L. M. Head & Co.

   The Crescent club will give their fourth party, Friday evening, January 31, McDermott's orchestra.

   Advertisements planted in the columns of the DEMOCRAT always bring forth an abundance of good fruit.

   Patrick J. Dwyer of Truxton has been appointed an officer of the society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

   Mr. J. D. Doran is about to start a grocery and meat market in a portion of his residence, No. 134 Clinton-ave.

   Mrs. A C. Walrad and Miss Franc Hudson entertained the Weekly whist club at their home on Greenbush-st. yesterday afternoon.

   The Cortland County Beekeepers Association will hold its regular annual meeting in Good Templars' Hall, Cortland, N. Y., Jan. 30, 1896.

   The annual stockholders meeting of the Wesson-Nivison Manufacturing company will be held at their offices in this village at 4 P. M. on Tuesday, January 28.

   The mothers' meeting (north) will be held at the home of Mrs. M. J. Nichols, 81 Maple-ave., Wednesday, Jan. 29, at 2 o'clock. Subject: "Safety for our School Children."

   The Union Town Sunday School association of Scott, Preble and Homer will hold its annual meeting in the Methodist church in the last named place on Friday, February 7.

   The report of the Cortland Savings bank will be found in another column. The report shows the bank to be in a very flourishing condition due to first-class management.

   Last Tuesday morning a pair of horses that were being used to plow ice on the pond at Tisdale's mills near Homer went through and were rescued with considerable difficulty.

   Mr. W. D. Riley has sold sixty feet off the south end of his lot, corner of Court and Church-sts., to Messrs. W. W. Kelsey and D. H. Bingham, who will erect a handsome residence thereon in the near future.

   Messrs. S. B. Pierce, Newton Cone and E. W. Bates have formed a partnership in the life and fire insurance business and have taken offices at 71 North Main-st. The name of the firm is Pierce, Cone & Bates.

   Mrs. F. Daehler entertained a party of her lady friends at an evening tea last Tuesday. The rooms were handsomely decorated with carnations. After tea seven tables were kept busy with duplicate whist.

   Conger Hose Co. of Groton will give a grand concert and dance in Nye's opera house in that village this evening. Music by Nobles' orchestra. Concert tickets 10 cents. Dance tickets 30 cents. Supper 75 cents.

   We commence this week the publication of a new serial story that will be found to be very interesting. It is a detective story but not of the usual order.

Don't fail to read the opening chapters in this issue.

   A house full of friends gave Mr. and Mrs. N. P. Meagher a surprise last Monday evening. Music was enjoyed and games were indulged in until midnight when refreshments, provided by the guests, were served.

   Mr. and Mrs. H. M. Whitney [owner of carriage factory] entertained quite a large party of their friends at progressive whist on Wednesday evening. Nine tables were in use. Mrs. W. H. Clark took the first ladies prize and Geo. A. Brockway of Homer carried away the gentlemen's prize.

   Frank Hiney, an employee in the Tisdale mill, had three fingers of his left hand badly lacerated last Monday, by permit ting his hand to be drawn between the rollers. Fortunately the rolls were not set close together or the hand must have been smashed.

   The wood shop of the Groton Bridge company was burned last Friday night. The building was of wood 50x100 feet and two stories high. Three large lathes were ruined. Loss between $7,000 and $8,000. The fire was first discovered in a pile of shavings on the first floor.

   W. A. Huntington, who sold the McGrawville Sentinel some years ago to enter the pulpit, has returned to McGrawville and will establish a paper there to be known as the McGrawville News. The first issue will appear early in February. The field should be a good one.—DeRuyter Gleaner.

   Tuesday afternoon Edward Garrity was arrested on complaint of the President of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for unduly whipping his mules. He plead guilty to the charge and was fined $5 by Justice Bull who notified him that in case of a second offense the fine would be $10.

   The Prohibition county conference will be held at Taylor Hall on Thursday, Jan. 30, beginning at 10 A. M. and continuing through the day and evening. The Beveridges of Nebraska, two noted singers, will be present and assist. Celebrated speakers from abroad will be there.

   While Ernest Doty, one of Bennett & Hartwell's employes [sic], was at work on a job at the Palace steam laundry, a piece of iron struck him on the nose, cutting the same and bruising the ball of his left eye so badly that the sight was gone. Dr. Higgins dressed the injury and thinks the sight may be restored when he recovers from the shock.

   Last winter the state legislature passed a bill, which has become a law, providing that a series of four illustrated lectures on the geography of New York state shall be given to the public school pupil, and teachers during the remainder of the present school year. Few public schools in this section of the state have complied with the law.—Exchange.

   Last Friday afternoon a Spafford farmer started from this place for home. In crossing the trolley tracks on Homer-ave., his sleigh tipped over dumping him out in the snow. The horse ran and finally was run into the fair ground fence and shopped. The man clung to the lines and was quite severely bruised but he righted up the sleigh and started again for home.

   In a sparring match with George LaBlanche last Saturday night, Joe Dunfee had his left wrist broken. He was to have appeared here at the C. A. A. meeting on February 12, but Kid Lavignee will take his place owing to the mishap. Adam Miller, champion Greco-Roman wrestler, will be one of the attractions and several local sports will also be seen.

   The committee appointed by the public meeting held in Firemen's hall last week appeared before the board of trustees last Monday evening at their regular meeting and presented a petition signed by the business men, asking the board to rescind their recent ordinance in regard to hitching teams on Main-st. The matter was discussed for a short time and after the committee withdrew the board voted to rescind the ordinance and it is rescinded. The trustees passed the ordinance originally supposing they were carrying out the wishes of the business men, and when they found that the business men did not want the ordinance they promptly rescinded it. They have shown the right spirit in the matter and they should be commended for their prompt action in rectifying what was clearly a mistake.