CHICKEN THIEF CAUGHT AND DEATH OF MORELL M. NEWTON

Barred Plymouth Rock Rooster.

Cortland Semi-Weekly Standard, Tuesday, March 30, 1897.

CHICKEN THIEF CAUGHT.

He Pleads Guilty, Is Sentenced to Fifty Days—Sentence Suspended.

   For several years a gang of chicken thieves have been operating in a large tract of land between Cortland and Groton, extending south as far as McLean and north toward Moravia. The thieves have been very cunning and it has been impossible to locate or capture them. The farmers were beside themselves with anger.

   Plymouth Rocks proved to be the popular breed with thieves as well as farmers. They are large and well suited to marketing and the thieves would go into the hen roosts and pick out the Plymouth Rocks and leave the others. It got so that a farmer was afraid to raise a Plymouth Rock. Numerous were the traps set to catch the miscreants, but all proved futile.

   However, it is a long road that has no turning.

   Last Tuesday morning James Ellsworth, who lives about four miles west of Cortland on the McLean road, looked into his henhouse and missed his splendid great rooster and fourteen young hens. About the same time his neighbor, Simeon Flanders, missed one rooster and two hens. Mr. Ellsworth’s blood was up. He vowed he would find those thieves.

   There was a little snow on the ground and tracks could easily be distinguished, and the ground, while frozen a little, was not frozen hard enough to hold a horse up or to hold a wagon up. The tracks of a light wagon and one horse were discovered leading from the houses of both Mr. Ellsworth and Mr. Flanders off to Goton. Mr. Ellsworth, W. M. Hunt and Willard Crane started on the trail while it was fresh. The hour was early and no other teams had passed to interfere with the following of the trial.

   They say they traced the track to a barn some miles away but the owner was not there. A search warrant was secured and the place looked over, but no trace of the missing fowls was found there. They visited the Groton markets but no fowls answering the description had been sold there.

   Wednesday morning they visited the Cortland markets, and at the market of R. E. Reilly & Co. in the Cortland House block, the missing fowls were found alive and well and were promptly identified. There were sixteen of them, fourteen hens and two roosters, and Mr. Ellsworth concluded that he had lost one more hen than he had supposed. Mr. Reilly said he had a few minutes before he bought the lot of E. S. Reed, who lives a quarter of a mile west of McLean on the Freeville road. A warrant for his arrest was sworn out and Thursday he was arrested by Constable Fred Bowker.

   Friday morning he was brought before Justice T. H. Dowd. Almost all the farmers between Cortland, McLean and Groton who have lost chickens attended the court. Reed pleaded guilty to the charge. He said he was poor and that he stole the hens to get something to live on. He swore that he was alone concerned in the matter and that he had no assistance.

    But it is hard to make those people believe it. They are confident that he is only one of a gang, and perhaps not the most responsible or the most guilty of the gang and they are hoping to get the others. The arrest of the one has only increased their zeal to find his associates if their supposition is true that he has any confederates.

   Reed pleaded for mercy and Justice Dowd sentenced him to fifty days in jail and suspended the sentence during good behavior. There are many extenuating circumstances which led those interested in the prosecution to acquiesce in the wisdom of Justice Dowd’s suspending the sentence. This is Reed’s first known offence, he is surely poor enough, and his wife has been for several years an invalid and wholly dependent upon her husband’s labor for support.

New York’s Last Revolutionary Pensioner.

   SARATOGA, N. Y., March 26.—The death of Mrs. Sarah Richards of West Milton, Saratoga county, whose age was 86 years, leaves only two widows of soldiers of the American Revolution on the pension rolls of the United States. Mrs. Richards was the last revolutionary pensioner residing in New York state.

MODERN IMPROVEMENTS.

Kellogg & Curtis’ Store to be Refitted and Put in Splendid Condition.

   The store of Kellogg & Curtis in the Taylor block is soon to undergo a thorough overhauling, and be refitted with all modern improvements, making it one of the prettiest and most attractive dry goods stores in Cortland. The owner of the building, E. D. Mallory, is making preparations to put an addition of ten or twelve feet at the rear of the store, the roof of this addition to be largely of glass. The cellar floor is to be lowered, and sewer connection made. In the store there will be a new steel ceiling, fresh paint and paper, new shelving, drawers and counters.

ANGELL & MCFALL

Have Opened Their New Grocery, Corner of Owego and Park-sts.

   For the past two years Angell & McFall have been conducting a meat market at the corner of Owego and Park-sts. and have built up a fine trade in that section. Many times some of their patrons have expressed the wish that they would also sell groceries and thus save them a trip uptown to complete the supplies necessary for their daily living. But their quarters were too cramped.

   During the past winter they have purchase the lot where their market stood, have moved that building back thirty-six feet, have put up a convenient and commodious new building 35 by 22 feet in size and two stories high, and Monday they opened a grocery in the new building with a complete stock of choice groceries, all absolutely new and fresh. They will now be prepared to cater to the trade of their past patrons and to such new ones as may desire to give them their orders.

   Mr. James Dillon, who was for twelve years a popular and obliging clerk with Squires & Co. and afterward with J. N. Dean, has a place behind the counters. They carry choice teas, coffees, spices, canned goods, flours and everything that is found in a first class and well appointed grocery. Fresh fruits and vegetables will be on sale in their seasons. Fine bakestuffs will also be furnished fresh every day from a leading bakery in town. All of this is in addition to the meat business, which is also continued on a larger scale than ever before in its special department in the rear of and connected with the grocery.

THE CORTLAND MILK UNION.

New Factory Opens Next Week—Officers Chosen for the Year.

   The Cortland Milk Union held a meeting in Fireman’s hall Saturday afternoon, attended by nearly fifty milk producers in the vicinity of Cortland. After an informal discussion with R. Bruce Smith in the chair, it was decided to organize with a capital stock of $2,500, each share to be $25. The following officers were elected for one year:

   President—R. Bruce Smith.

   Secretary—George H. Smith.

   Treasurer—John F. Wilson.

   The following were appointed a committee on bylaws and to fix the basis on which the business shall be conducted: O. U. Kellogg, William Bell, D. B. Hicks, L. J. Fitzgerald, L. J. Stafford and Fred Conable.

   William Bell, J. F. Wilson and D. B. Hicks were made a sales committee. A fine depot has been erected at the junction of the D., L. & W. and Lehigh Valley railroads, and will be equipped with the best machinery for the manufacture of both butter and cheese. This machinery was purchased from the True Dairy Supply company of Syracuse through the agency of Mr. J. L. McKee of Cortland, and arrived this afternoon.

   It is expected that the factory will be open to receive milk the firsts of next week. Mr. George Murry of DeRuyter, a butter and cheese make of long experience, has been engaged to take charge of the station.

   It was voted Saturday to make butter for the present.

WHIRLED AROUND A SHAFT.

SHOCKING DEATH OF MORELL M. NEWTON AT HOMER.

He Was Examining the Boxing on the Main Shafting, Revolving 150 Times per Minute, When His Clothing Caught and He was Hurled to His Death—The Senior Member of the Firm of Newton Brothers, Woolen Manufacturers.

   One of the saddest fatalities that has occurred in this section of country in a long time occurred in Homer Saturday afternoon, when Morell M. Newton, senior member of the firm Newton Brothers, woolen manufacturers, met his death in the long weaving room in the south end of the second story of the large factory located on Clinton-st. in that village. Mr. Newton was superintendent of the weaving department and owned a half interest in the business.

   Shortly before 5 o’clock on that fatal afternoon Mr. Newton was walking through the weaving room, when his attention was drawn to a creaking noise in a hanger or boxing of the main shafting at the extreme south end of the room close to the wall. He climbed upon the warping beam, which is almost directly beneath the shafting. As he stood upon this, the shafting would come about opposite his breast, and his head would probably reach the floor above, as the shafting is not more than twenty inches from this floor. The shafting is also about seven feet from the floor beneath. It is supposed that as Mr. Newton was examining this boxing his coat, which was loose and hung away from his body, caught on a set screw which projected from the boxing about two inches. The shaft and boxing were at the time making 150 revolutions per minute.

   Fred Hart, an employee, noticed him at the shafting but his eyes were turned away for a minute, when he suddenly heard Mr. Newton call “Fred,” and looking up he saw the unfortunate man whirling over the shafting. He realized the situation in an instant, and rushing down stairs to the wheelpit, turned off the water power and stopped the machinery.

   Mr. Newton was taken down from the shafting by Oscar Turner and Frank Nickerson, and laid on a lounge procured from a neighboring house. His body must have been whirled over the shafting at a terrific rate of speed at least 200 times. The flooring above was loosened by his feet swinging up against it as he went over.

   Drs. L. W. Potter and J. W. Whitney were at once sent for, but their efforts were of no avail, as Mr. Newton was too severely injured internally to live. On investigation it was found that both legs were broken just below the knees, all the ribs on the right side were broken through and his arms, head, and body were badly bruised. The clothing above the waist was torn from the body, the shirt hanging only at one shoulder.

   It is known that the incident happened at just 12 minutes before 5 o’clock as his watch, which was hurled to the floor, stopped just at that time. He lived just forty minutes after the accident happened, and notwithstanding his severe injuries, was conscious nearly to the last. Upon being asked by his brother and partner, D. D. Norton, if his head pained him he replied that it was his stomach, and asked to be turned over on his right side. When being laid back on the lounge he asked that his head be raised higher. He must have been injured severely internally, as indicated by blood flowing from the nose and mouth.

   Mr. Newton was 50 years of age, and came to Homer from Pitcher, Chenango Co., fifteen years ago, and started the manufacture of woolen cloths in the stone factory formerly known as the “old cotton factory,” where he met his death. He had been engaged in a similar business at Pitcher on a smaller scale. Twelve years ago his brother, D. D. Newton, purchased a half interest in the business and the two brothers have built up a large and prosperous business. About fifty hands, men and women, are employed in the factory. Their production has a worldwide reputation. The cloth itself is shipped, and is also made into garments just as customers desire. It is probable that the business will be continued by the remaining brother, Mr. D. D. Newton, who is Mr. Newton’s only surviving brother.

   The deceased leaves a wife and one son, Lynn, to mourn the loss of a kind and loving husband and father. He also leaves two sisters, Mrs. Leander Law of Preston, Chenango Co., and Mrs. Elijah Wildman of Syracuse. The funeral will take place from his late residence in Homer, 47 North Main-st., Wednesday morning at 10:30 o’clock.

   Mr. Newton will be greatly missed in the community, where every one has learned to love and respect him. He has been one of the most substantial business men in Homer, and had for many years been a deacon in the Baptist church. He was also a member of the board of education.

  

MRS. C. W. STOKER.

Died Friday Morning After an Illness of About Three Years—Funeral Sunday.

   Mrs. C. W. Stoker died at 11:30 o’clock Friday morning at her home on Church-st. after an illness of nearly three years, aged 45 years and 10 months. Since last October she has been confined to her room, but it was not until Thursday that her condition became such as to cause her friends to believe that the end would come so soon.

   During her long illness she has borne her suffering with fortitude and cheerfulness and her death, while not unexpected, is a sad blow to her family and friends. Her husband and three children, Miss M. Grace Stoker, Floyd W. Stoker and Romaine Stoker survive her.

   Mrs. Stoker’s maiden name was S. Addie Watrous. She was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L. A. Watrous of Cortland, and a sister of Mrs. W. S. Hoxie also of Cortland. In 1872 she was married to Mr. C. W. Stoker and the whole of their married life has been spent here. For nearly twenty years she has been a member of the Baptist church and has taken an active interest in the welfare and work of the church. Until her health would no longer permit she was the teacher of a boy’s Bible class in the Sunday-school and it was with sincere regret that she felt obliged to give it up.

   It is a matter worthy of note and often spoken of by the three ladies in question that during all of the twenty-two music festivals conducted through as many years under the management of Mr. A. Mahan with the exception of a single year, Mrs. Stoker, Mrs. Edwin M. Hulbert and Mrs. Mark Brownell have sat side by side in the front row of the altos. In that one year Mrs. Hulbert was in New York, but the other two were together. The three ladies have each year spoken of it and wondered if the next year would find them all together again.

   The funeral was held Sunday afternoon at 3 o’clock at the house, 13 Church-st.

Hiram J. Messenger.

   Mr. Hiram J. Messenger, one of the pioneers of Cortland county, died at 1:30 o’clock Saturday morning at his residence, 42 Union-st. after an illness of only a few days from valvular disease of the heart, which had become chronic. Mr. Messenger was 80 years and 7 months of age. He was born near Messengerville, and nearly all his life has been spent in this county. Besides a wife he leaves three sons, N. Heaton, Henry A. and Hiram J., Jr., all of whom reside in New York City, and one daughter, Mrs. John F. Wilcox of Utica. He also leaves one brother, Jehial Messenger of Messengerville.

BREVITIES.

   —The funeral of the late Hiram J. Messenger was held from his late residence, 42 Union-st. this morning at 11 o’clock.

   —Wickwire Brothers Monday began running the weaving room of their wire mills twelve hours a day to catch up with orders.

   —Mrs. Finney, sister of the late B. S. Niver, died at the Old Ladies’ Country Home four miles west of the village at 7:30 o’clock Saturday morning.

   —Dr. Edson was called Friday to see Mrs. A. V. Gates of Texas Valley. Her case is serious, having lost forty-five pounds in weight in eight months.

   —Mr. L. H. Andrews, an employee of Keator & Wells, caught the index finger of his right hand in a buzz planer Friday, nearly severing it at the second joint. Dr. Sornberger dressed the injury.

   —A Dryden man has been fined $10 for giving hard cider to some of the boys of the George Junior Republic at Freeville, with the result that when they returned to the Republic they were considerably intoxicated.

   —Mr. James Turner and Mrs. Jane Carpenter, both of Cortland, were married Thursday evening at 7 o’clock at the Homer-ave. M. E. parsonage by the pastor, Rev. E. B. Gearhart. The groom is 77 years of age and the bride 61.

   —No one need be hindered from riding a bicycle by fear of age or loss of dignity, for the word now comes that Mr. Gladstone, the former British premier, who is probably respected and loved by more people than any other man ever living has joined the ranks of the wheelmen. He has written to a friend in London that he has finally mastered the machine.